Image forming apparatus having an image orientation identifying device and a binding device

A binding device identifying a binding position for binding sheets carrying images thereon, and performing a binding operation at the identified binding position, comprising:

• layout identifying means for identifying a layout of image data;
• determining means for determining an image data size and an image data set orientation;
• and
• binding position identifying means for identifying the binding position on the sheets in response to an output of said layout identifying means and an output of said determining means.

A binding device identifying a binding position for binding sheets carrying images thereon, and performing a binding operation at the identified binding position, comprising:

• detecting means for detecting image data in an image data page area;
• binding position identifying means for identifying the binding position on the sheets in response to an output of said detecting means;
• decision means for determining whether or not data representative of the binding position determined by said binding position identifying means matches data representative of a predetermined reference binding position;
• and
• recovering means for, when said decision means determines that said data representative of the binding position does not match said data representative of a predetermined reference binding position, avoiding noncoincidence.

A binding device identifying a binding position for binding sheets carrying images thereon, and performing a binding operation at the identified binding position, comprising:

• detecting means for detecting image data in an image data page area;
• binding position identifying means for identifying the binding position on the sheets in response to an output of said detecting means;
• confirming means for determining whether or not image data exists at the binding position identified by said binding position determining means;
• and
• recovering means for avoiding, when said confirming means determines that image data exists at the binding position, noncoincidence of said image data and said binding position.

A method of binding sheets carrying images thereon by determining a binding position, comprising the steps of:

• detecting predetermined image data existing in a page area;
• determining a binding position on the sheets in response to the predetermined image data determined;
• determining whether or not data representative of a predetermined reference binding position and data representative of the determined binding position are coincident;
• and
• avoiding when said data representative of the predetermined reference binding position and said data representative of the determined binding position are not coincident, noncoincidence.

A device for binding sheets carrying images thereon by determining a binding position, comprising:

• detecting means for detecting predetermined image data in an image data page area;
• determining means for determining a binding position in response to an output of said detecting means;
• decision means for determining whether or not data representative of a predetermined reference binding position and data representative of the determined binding position are coincident;
• and
• recovering means for avoiding, when said data representative of the predetermined reference binding position and the data representative of the determined binding position are not coincident, noncoincidence.