Patent ID: 7568687

Claim:
A bookbinding apparatus, comprising: a bundling/stacking means for bundling sequentially supplied sheets into sheaves; a binding process path in which binding processes are carried out on sheaves from the sheet bundling/stacking means, and in which an adhesive-application position and a front-cover binding position are sequentially disposed; a sheaf transport means for transporting sheaves from the sheet bundling/stacking means into the binding process path; an adhesive application means, provided at the adhesive-application position, for coating an edge of a sheaf with adhesive; a front-cover binding means, provided in the front-cover binding position, for binding a sheaf together with a front cover; a sheaf exiting-conveyance means for conveying sheaves from the front-cover binding means to a storage stacker; a sheet-position recognition means for detecting/monitoring position of a sheaf in the binding process path; and a control means for executing binding processes sequentially on sheaves from said sheet bundling/stacking means in the order adhesive application, front-cover bind-on, and sheet-bundle exiting conveyance; wherein: said control means is configured so as to cause, if power to the bookbinding apparatus is cut off or the apparatus is otherwise operationally interrupted, the sheet-position recognition means to determine the position of any sheaf left behind in the binding process path and to alter, depending on the position in which the sheaf is left behind, the manner in which the sheaf is processed when the bookbinding apparatus is restarted.