Sheet binding apparatus capable of performing two kinds of binding processes

A sheet stapling apparatus associated with an image forming apparatus for forming an image onto a sheet, comprising:

• storage means for storing sheets ejected from said image forming apparatus;
• and
• stapling means for stapling the sheets stored in said storage means,
• wherein said stapling means has two movable anvils, each of which has a groove to bend a staple, and
• said stapling means can appropriately select either one of a state in which said two anvils are closely arranged, and a state in which said two anvils are away from each other.

A sheet stapling apparatus associated with an image forming apparatus for forming an image onto a sheet, comprising:

• storage means for storing sheets ejected from said image forming apparatus;
• and
• stapling means for stapling to the sheets stored in said storage means,
• wherein said stapling means includes first bending means for bending feet of a staple which were pierced through said sheets to the inside and second bending means for bending the feet of the staple which were pierced through the sheets to the outside,
• wherein said image forming apparatus forms the image in either one of a first mode and a second mode, and
• in the case where said image forming apparatus executes said first mode, said stapling means executes the stapling process by using said first bending means, and in the case where said second mode is executed, said stapling means executes the stapling process by using said second bending means.

A sheet binding method for binding sheets ejected from an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus one that forms an image onto a sheet in either one of first and second modes, and the binding process by one of a first binding method and by a second binding method which can more easily release a binding than said first binding method, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus;
• and
• executing a binding process to the sheets stored in said storage means, wherein
• in the case where the first mode is executed in the image forming apparatus, a first binding method is executed, and in the case where the second mode is executed in the image forming apparatus, a second binding method which can more easily release a binding than the first binding method is executed.

A sheet stapling method for use with an image forming apparatus for forming an image onto a sheet and having stapling means with two movable anvils, each of which having a groove to bend a staple, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing sheets ejected from said image forming apparatus;
• selecting either one of a state in which the two anvils are closely arranged and a state in which said two anvils are away from each other;
• and
• stapling the stored sheets.

A sheet stapling method for use with an image forming apparatus for forming an image onto a sheet in one of a first mode and a second mode, comprising:

• storing sheets ejected from said image forming apparatus;
• and
• determining whether said image forming apparatus formed the image in the first mode or the second mode, and
• in the case where said image forming apparatus formed the image in the first mode, executing the stapling process by bending feet of a staple which were pierced through said sheets to the inside, and in the case where said second mode is executed, executing the stapling process by bending the feet of the staple which were pierced through the sheets to the outside.