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.

The device disclosed herein is a device for performing binding functions such as stapling, hole punching, and comb binding. The device includes a housing, lid, slots for receiving sheets of material to be operated on by the punching and biding assemblies of the device. The device includes a lid to close off or inactivate portions or functions of the device and direct or guide the operator to the proper function or assembly to use for the operation. The device further includes an actuator that selectively operates functional assemblies of the device. The device may further include a moveable guide to selectively offset the punching assembly when larger dimensional covers are punched. The device may also include punching die assemblies that are easily moved and aligned from one position to another.

An image forming apparatus, including: a printing unit configured to print on a sheet; a bookbinding unit configured to perform a cutting process of cutting a binding member for binding a plurality of sheets before sheets printed by the printing unit are stacked on a stack tray and perform a binding process of binding the sheets by the cut binding member; and a controller configured to cause the bookbinding unit to perform the cutting process of the binding member based on sheet size information, the controller controls, in a case of producing a plurality of copies of bookbound products, not to perform the cutting process of the binding member of a second copy while sheets are stacking as a first copy, but to perform the cutting process of the binding member of a next copy while sheets are stacking as each of the second copy and subsequent copies.

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 binding component holding sheet is configured to detachably hold a binding component obtained by spirally winding a wire rod and includes a holder configured to hold the binding component by insertion of a circumferential portion of the spirally wound binding component. The holder is configured to hold the binding component so that an area greater than a half of the binding component in a circumferential direction protrudes to one side of the binding component holding sheet and an area less than the half of the binding component in the circumferential direction protrudes to the other side of the binding component holding sheet.

An accumulator for an automatic sheet media punching and collating system includes a proximal end, having a shoulder, a distal end, and a moveable collating belt, disposed below the shoulder, extending from the proximal end to the distal end. The collating belt has an upwardly extending lower stop with an accumulating position opposite the shoulder, defining a drop region. The lower stop is configured to contact a lower edge of sheets of media sequentially received at the proximal end, whereby the sheets stop and accumulate in the drop region in a lift in a book order. The collating belt is selectively moveable to discharge the lift as a unit toward the distal end.

An image forming apparatus, including: a printing unit configured to print on a sheet; a bookbinding unit configured to perform a cutting process of cutting a binding member for binding a plurality of sheets before sheets printed by the printing unit are stacked on a stack tray and perform a binding process of binding the sheets by the cut binding member; and a controller configured to cause the bookbinding unit to perform the cutting process of the binding member based on sheet size information, the controller controls, in a case of producing a plurality of copies of bookbound products, not to perform the cutting process of the binding member of a second copy while sheets are stacking as a first copy, but to perform the cutting process of the binding member of a next copy while sheets are stacking as each of the second copy and subsequent copies.

An image forming apparatus including: a printer; a puncher configured to punch the sheet printed by the printer; a binder configured to perform a bookbinding process to form a bound product in which a binding member penetrates punch holes of sheets; a first detector configured to detect a first jam of a sheet in the binder; a second detector configured to detect a second jam of a sheet which occurs upstream of the binder; an annunciator configured to notify information; and a controller configured to cause the annunciator to notify first instruction information for instructing removal of a sheet and the binding member, when the first detector has detected the first jam; and cause the annunciator to notify second instruction information for instructing removal of the second jam when the second detector has detected the second jam and the first detector has not detected the first jam.

An auxiliary binding jig is configured for assisting a plurality of binding members to bind a plurality of papers into a bound document, and includes an auxiliary plate body having opposite first and second planar surfaces, and a plurality of engaging holes extending through the first and second planar surfaces and each having a constriction which divides a respective engaging hole into two hole portions and which is formed by two press tabs defining therebetween a slot communicating with the hole portions. The press tabs are configured to press against an outer ring of each binding member when each binding member is inserted into a respective engaging hole through the slot so as to position each binding member on the auxiliary plate body.

An accumulator for an automatic sheet media punching and collating system includes a proximal end, having a shoulder, a distal end, and a moveable collating belt, disposed below the shoulder, extending from the proximal end to the distal end. The collating belt has an upwardly extending lower stop with an accumulating position opposite the shoulder, defining a drop region. The lower stop is configured to contact a lower edge of sheets of media sequentially received at the proximal end, whereby the sheets stop and accumulate in the drop region in a lift in a book order. The collating belt is selectively moveable to discharge the lift as a unit toward the distal end.