Bookbinding apparatus

A bookbinding apparatus in combination with a plurality of binding components held, on a holding sheet, wherein the bookbinding apparatus is configured to bind sheets with the plurality of binding components by separating the binding components one by one from the holding sheet,

• wherein the holding sheet has a first surface and a second surface on an opposite side from the first surface and holds the binding components, and
• the bookbinding apparatus is configured to insert the binding components into a plurality of holes formed in the sheets,
• the binding components each including a spirally wound wire rod having a plurality of circumference areas which are continuous with each other, the plurality of circumference areas together forming a total circumference area,
• the circumference areas including a first part which is greater than a half of the total circumference area, wherein the first part protrudes from the first surface of the holding sheet as the holding sheet holds the binding components, the plurality of circumference areas further including a second part which is less than half of the total circumference area, wherein the second part protrudes from the second surface of the holding sheet as the holding sheet holds the binding components,
• the bookbinding apparatus comprising:
• a sheet conveyance path configured to convey the sheets;
• a hole forming unit configured to form the plurality of holes at an end portion of the sheets to be conveyed on the sheet conveyance path;
• a sheet aligning unit configured to stack and align sheets after having the plurality of holes formed therein in the hole forming unit;
• a binding component storing unit configured to store therein the holding sheet holding the binding components;
• a binding component separating unit configured to separate the binding components, one at a time, from the holding sheet stored in the binding component storing unit;
• a coil feed unit configured to feed the binding components after being separated from the holding sheet by the binding component separating unit;
• and
• a binding component rotation/insertion unit configured to insert the binding components into the plurality of holes formed in the sheets by conveying the binding components fed by the coil feed unit while rotating the binding components in a circumferential direction;
• wherein the binding component separating unit includes a contact part configured to separate the binding components from the holding sheet by contacting the first part of each binding component protruding from the first surface of the holding sheet.