Fluid supply device, printing device, and method of controlling a fluid supply device

A printing device that executes a printing process by discharging ink from a head onto a conveyed medium, comprising:

• a printer case;
• and
• a fluid supply device within the printer case, the fluid supply device comprising
• a main tank in which a fluid is stored in a sealed storage unit of variable capacity;
• a subtank having a fluid chamber of variable capacity to which fluid is supplied from the main tank;
• a head that can discharge the fluid supplied from the subtank;
• a carriage on which the head and the subtank are mounted;
• an expansion mechanism that enables a fluid refill operation to expand the fluid chamber by a movement of the carriage and supply fluid from the main tank;
• a fluid volume detection unit that detects fluid volume in the main tank;
• and
• a control unit that lengthens stop time of the carriage for the fluid refill operation when the fluid volume is low, as compared to when the fluid volume is sufficient.

A control method for a fluid supply device, the control method comprising:

• supplying fluid from a main tank in which a fluid is stored in a sealed storage unit of variable capacity, to a subtank having a fluid chamber of variable capacity to which fluid is supplied from the main tank, and to a head that can discharge fluid supplied from the subtank;
• moving a carriage on which the head and the subtank are mounted;
• expanding an expansion mechanism that enables a fluid refill operation;
• wherein stop time of the carriage is lengthened for the fluid refill operation when the fluid volume is low, as compared to when the fluid volume is sufficient.