Patent ID: 7865106

Claim:
A binding apparatus connected to an image forming apparatus, the binding apparatus comprising: a sheet conveying portion which receives a sheet discharged from an apparatus on an upstream side, conveys and discharges the sheet to an apparatus on a downstream side; a binding portion which applies a heated adhesive to a sheet bundle comprising a plurality of sheets discharged from said apparatus on the upstream side to bind the sheet bundle; and a power saving control portion which renders said binding apparatus into a power saving state, wherein said power saving control portion maintains electric power supply to said sheet conveying portion, and interrupts electric power supply to said binding portion, wherein when there is no instruction for a binding operation from the image forming apparatus, said binding apparatus, even in said power saving state, conveys a sheet which is discharged from said apparatus on the upstream side to the apparatus on the downstream side with use of said sheet conveying portion to which the electric power is maintained by said power saving control portion, and wherein when a predetermined time in which said binding portion does not perform the binding operation has elapsed, said power saving control portion renders said binding apparatus into said power saving state.