A book has a front cover having a first edge which is unconnected, and an opposing second edge which is connected to a spine. A back cover has a first edge which is connected to the spine and an opposing second edge which is connected to flexible joint or fold-line. The book has a third cover having a first edge which is connected to the flexible joint, that couples the third cover to the back cover, and an opposing second edge which is connected to binding. The front cover is configured to fold back about the spine to retain the third cover proximal the outer edge of the third cover to retain the book in a propped-up position for reading. A page holder slides along the left and right sides of the third cover and has an opening that allows a page to be pushed therethrough.

A book has a front cover having a first edge which is unconnected, and an opposing second edge which is connected to a spine. A back cover has a first edge which is connected to the spine and an opposing second edge which is connected to flexible joint or fold-line. The book has a third cover having a first edge which is connected to the flexible joint, that couples the third cover to the back cover, and an opposing second edge which is connected to binding. The front cover is configured to fold back about the spine to retain the third cover proximal the outer edge of the third cover to retain the book in a propped-up position for reading. A page holder slides along the left and right sides of the third cover and has an opening that allows a page to be pushed therethrough.

A bound collection of leaves having a spine and a method of its manufacture are disclosed. Each leaf of a first plurality of leaves of the bound collection includes a first pattern of tabs by which that leaf is bound. The tabs of the first pattern are distributed along a binding axis of that leaf that is parallel to a spine axis of the spine. Each leaf of a second plurality of leaves of the bound collection includes a second pattern of tabs different than the first pattern by which that leaf is bound. The tabs of the second pattern are distributed along a binding axis of that leaf that is parallel to the spine axis. Each tab of the first pattern and second pattern of tabs extends in a direction orthogonal to the binding axis from within an unbound region to a binding-side edge of that leaf.

A bound collection of leaves having a spine and a method of its manufacture are disclosed. Each leaf of a first plurality of leaves of the bound collection includes a first pattern of tabs by which that leaf is bound. The tabs of the first pattern are distributed along a binding axis of that leaf that is parallel to a spine axis of the spine. Each leaf of a second plurality of leaves of the bound collection includes a second pattern of tabs different than the first pattern by which that leaf is bound. The tabs of the second pattern are distributed along a binding axis of that leaf that is parallel to the spine axis. Each tab of the first pattern and second pattern of tabs extends in a direction orthogonal to the binding axis from within an unbound region to a binding-side edge of that leaf.

A series of conveyance paths to convey a recording medium is formed across a printer and a post-processing device in a printing system. The printing system includes: a detection unit that detects that the post-processing device has entered a predetermined state; and a paper feeding control unit that limits the number of recording media fed to the conveyance path, when it is not detected that the post-processing device has entered the predetermined state, based on the number of recording media conveyable to the post-processing device after the post-processing device enters the predetermined state.

A sheet stacking device includes a vacuum system that delivers an individual sheet toward a binder element, a sheet deflector element that presses an end of the individual sheet onto the binder element, and a sheet kick-down element that presses the individual sheet away from the vacuum system.

A printing control apparatus configured to control a binding unit configured to perform a binding processing for binding sheets without using a staple includes a control unit that controls the biding unit to divide sheets subjected to printing into sheet groups in units of a number of sheets bindable by the binding unit, and to apply the binding processing to each of sheet groups or controls another binding unit to bind the sheets subjected to printing using a staple.

A printing control apparatus configured to control a binding unit configured to perform a binding processing for binding sheets without using a staple includes a control unit that controls the biding unit to divide sheets subjected to printing into sheet groups in units of a number of sheets bindable by the binding unit, and to apply the binding processing to each of sheet groups or controls another binding unit to bind the sheets subjected to printing using a staple.

A book workstation includes a left cover and a right cover, a center spine, and pages sequentially arranged and bound to the center spine. The workbook includes at least one of: a) a left-side underlay and a left-side overlay, each bound to the left-side cover via a left-side spine, or b) a right-side underlay and a right-side overlay, each bound to the right-side cover via a right-side spine. In an open position, the pages can be split into left and right stacks. Indicia on a top page of the left stack are equivalent to indicia on a top page of the right stack. Relative orientations of the indicia enable each of a pair of users to view the indicia on one of the pages at the same time. Each underlay and overlay can be interleaved between pages of one stack, or placed on the top page of that stack.

Systems and apparatus for covering, protecting, and concealing personal, private, confidential, and nonpublic information and/or covering and concealing printed and/or hand-written text, lettering, graphics, drawings, and/or marks on one or more sheets, pages, or pages, of a book. The systems and apparatus can include a releasable, removable, or un-releasable binding device, tamper-evident features, labeling features, and binding components can be configured to fasten, connect, and/or secure covering devices and which can substantially rotate 360 degrees, fold back upon itself, lie flat when open and/or closed, and releasably cover personal, private, nonpublic, or other information, and/or cover and/or conceal printed and/or hand-written text, lettering, graphics, drawings, and/or marks on one or more sheets, pages, or pages, of a book.