Cassette type ink ribbon device

摘要

A cassette type ink ribbon device comprises a pair of cassette cases mountable in spaced-apart non-touching relation on a printing apparatus. An endless ink ribbon extends through the pair of cassette cases. A transfer roller and an ink roller are both rotatably mounted within one of the cassette cases and are in contact with one another to replenish ink onto the ink ribbon. A slidable tensioner is disposed within the other cassette case for applying a tensioning force to the ink ribbon. The tensioner comprises a slidable guide body having a guiding surface portion in sliding contact with the inner side of the ink ribbon, a slideway within the other cassette case for slidably supporting the guide body, and a biasing spring disposed within the other cassette case for biasing the guide body along the slideway to apply a tensioning force to the ink ribbon. By such a construction, minor variations in the spacing distance between the pair of cassette cases when mounting the cassette cases on the printing apparatus can be accommodated by sliding movement of the guide body.