Sheet processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and image forming system

A sheet processing apparatus configured to sandwich a sheet media in a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlaid and bonded together at a portion of the two-ply sheet, the sheet processing apparatus comprising:

• thermal pressure rollers configured to apply heat and pressure to the two-ply sheet;
• a tray disposed downstream from the thermal pressure rollers in a conveyance direction of the two-ply sheet, to stack the two-ply sheet;
• and
• ejection rollers configured to convey the two-ply sheet vertically downward toward the tray after the two-ply sheet passes through the thermal pressure rollers,
• wherein the ejection rollers are configured to stop a conveyance of the two-ply sheet after a trailing end of the two-ply sheet passes through the thermal pressure rollers, and restart the conveyance of the two-ply sheet after a predetermined time has elapsed, and
• while the ejection rollers stop in a state in which the trailing end of the two-ply sheet is held between the ejection rollers, a downstream portion of the two-ply sheet, which is downstream from the ejection rollers in the conveyance direction, hangs down in a vertical direction in a state in which the downstream portion is not held between the ejection rollers.