JPH0596845A - Recording method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make the forming of a multi-sheet duplicate image easier by a method wherein the area of a last latent image dot or the areas of a last latent image dot and latent image dots in the vicinity are made smaller than the areas of other numerous latent image dots. CONSTITUTION:A latent image is formed in such a manner that an area (dn) of a last latent image dot, or the areas of a last latent image dot and latent image dots in the vicinity of the last latent image dot would become smaller than the areas of other large majority of latent image dots. It is preferable to make the area of a leading latent image dot (d1), or the area of the leading latent image dot and the area of at least latent image dots (d2) which are adjacent to the leading latent image dot are made smaller than the areas of other latent image dots which take the other large majority. As a heating means for latent image forming, there is non-contact heating such as an electromagnetic wave, etc., in addition to contact heating such as a heater or thermal head, etc. After the forming of a latent image, the development is performed by feeding and adhering a recording agent solvent or dispersing liquid to the latent image, and as the recording agent solvent or dispersing liquid, a solvent or dispersing liquid which contains a coloring agent is used.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a novel recording method,
Specifically, an area having a receding contact angle according to the heating temperature is formed selectively and reversibly on the surface of the recording material having a specific property, and a coloring material is applied to this area (latent image). The present invention relates to a recording method in which a recording agent solution or a dispersion liquid contained therein is supplied to make it visible, and this can be transferred in good condition to a transfer target such as plain paper (recording paper or the like).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An offset printing method using a lithographic printing plate can be given as a typical means for dividing a surface into a liquid adhesive area and a non-liquid adhesive area for image formation. .. However, in this offset printing method, it is inevitable that the device becomes large in size by incorporating the plate making process from the original plate and the printing process from the printing plate (printing plate) into one device. For example, even in a relatively small office offset plate-making printing machine, in many cases, the plate-making apparatus and the printing apparatus are usually separate.

With the intention of eliminating such a defect of the offset printing method, a liquid adhesive area and a non-liquid adhesive area can be formed according to image information and can be repeatedly used (having reversibility. ) Recording methods and devices are being proposed. Some of them are as follows. (1) Aqueous development method After a charge is applied to the hydrophobic photoconductor layer from the outside, it is exposed to form a pattern having a hydrophobic portion and a hydrophilic portion on the surface of the photoconductor layer, and only the hydrophilic portion is formed. A water-based developer is attached and transferred onto paper or the like (Japanese Patent Publication No. 40-18992, Japanese Patent Publication No. 40-18993, Japanese Patent Publication No. 44-9512, Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-26492). (2) Method utilizing photochemical reaction of photochromic material A layer containing a material such as spiropyran and an azo dye is irradiated with ultraviolet rays to hydrophilize these photochromic compounds by a photochemical reaction [for example, "Polymer Papers", No. 37].
Volume 4, page 287 (1980)]. (3) Method utilizing the action of internal biasing force An amorphous state and a crystalline state are formed by physical change,
Forming areas where liquid ink is attached / not attached (Japanese Patent Publication No.
-41902).

According to the above method (1), after transferring the water-based ink to paper or the like, the hydrophilic portion is erased by static elimination,
It is possible to record other image information. That is, one original plate (photoconductor) can be repeatedly used. However, since this method is based on the electrophotographic process, charging →
It requires a long process of exposure->development->transfer-> static elimination, and has the drawbacks that downsizing of the device, cost reduction, and maintenance-free are difficult. (2)
According to this method, hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity can be freely and reversibly controlled by selectively changing the irradiation of ultraviolet rays and visible light, but the reaction time is very long due to poor quantum efficiency and the recording speed is high. However, it has the drawback of being slow and lacking in stability, and it is the fact that it has not reached the practical level yet. Further, according to the method of (3), the information recording member used there is stable after recording, but before recording, the physical structure may change due to temperature change. Therefore, there is a problem in storage stability. In addition to this, since a means of applying a heat pulse and then quenching is adopted for erasing the recorded information pattern, there is a disadvantage that repeated image formation cannot avoid complexity.

The present inventors have conducted research and studies for solving the conventional drawbacks and inconveniences. as a result,
Specific recording material (A) (recording material having a surface whose receding contact angle decreases when heated and brought into contact with a liquid) and contact material (B) [liquid, vapor or receding referred to as recording material (A)] By using a solid which becomes a liquid or generates a liquid or a vapor at a temperature below the contact angle decrease start temperature], and selectively heating the surface of the recording material (A) in contact with the contact material (B), Alternatively, a latent image showing a receding contact angle corresponding to the heating temperature is formed on the surface of the recording material (A) by bringing the surface of the recording material (A) into contact with the contact material (B) while being selectively heated. We proposed a method of visualizing this latent image with a recording agent solution or dispersion and then transferring the obtained visible image to recording paper and a device related thereto (West German Patent Publication No. 4010275). Specification).

According to the method proposed here, formation of a latent image and a visible image on the recording medium (A), transfer of the visible image to plain paper, and erasing of the latent image are extremely easy. In addition, since it can be reversibly performed, it is possible to easily obtain a large number of copied images, and it is possible to continuously obtain different copied images.

A state of carrying out the recording process using the recording body (A) having such a specific surface function is shown in FIG. 1, for example, including a configuration example of the recording apparatus. FIG. 1 shows an example in which a latent image forming liquid and a recording material solution or dispersion are used in combination.
The recording agent solution or dispersion liquid (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “ink liquid”) is a liquid in which a coloring material is dissolved or dispersed in a solvent.

In FIG. 1, a recording medium [recording medium (A)] 3 comprising a recording layer (recording medium (A) surface layer) 1 and a substrate 2
Is rotating in the direction of the arrow. First, according to an image signal, heat from the thermal head 4 is transferred to the recording layer 1 via the ink liquid 7 held in the plate 6, and the latent image 5 is formed there. After that, the ink liquid 7 is attached to the latent image 5 to be visualized (developed). Subsequently, in the transfer section, the attached ink 7a on the recording layer 1 is directly transferred onto the transferred material (recording paper) 8 by the transfer roller 9. After the transfer, the latent image 5 on the recording layer 1 is erased by the infrared lamp 10 when the transfer of one image information is completed.

[0009]

However, the latent image formed by the method or apparatus previously proposed by the present inventors as described above is generally recorded on the recording medium 3 as shown in FIG.
When the final latent image dot (dn) is formed into a latent image with respect to the rotation or movement direction (represented by an arrow) of the latent image dot, the amount of ink adhered per latent image dot is another latent image dot having the same area. d
_The tendency of becoming larger than ₁ , d ₂ , d ₃ , d ₄ is often recognized. However, it has not been clarified why the tendency was brought about. However, such a phenomenon impairs image quality formation. The present invention provides a recording method that eliminates the occurrence of such inconvenience and obtains a transferred image of good quality.

[0010]

The first aspect of the present invention is to perform dot-shaped heating in a state where the surface of the recording medium (A) below and the contact material (B) below are in contact with each other, or recording is performed. By contacting the contact material (B) with the surface of the body (A) heated in a dot shape, latent image areas having different receding contact angles are formed on the surface of the recording body (A) according to the heating temperature.
A recording material (A) is used in a recording method in which a recording agent solution or a dispersion liquid is supplied to the recording material to visualize it
Of the latent image dots positioned vertically side by side in the rotation or movement direction of, the area of the final latent image dot or the area of the final latent image dot and its vicinity is smaller than the area of the majority of the other latent image dots. The latent image is formed so that (A) A recording material having a surface that has a receding contact angle that decreases when heated and brought into contact with a liquid. (B) A liquid, a vapor, or a solid that becomes a liquid or generates a liquid or a vapor at a temperature at which the receding contact angle of the recording medium (A) is reduced or lower.

A second aspect of the present invention is to perform dot-shaped heating while the surface of the following recording material (A) is in contact with the following contact material (B), or the surface of the recording material (A). By contacting the material with the contact material (B) while being heated in a dot shape, latent image areas having different receding contact angles are formed on the surface of the recording material (A) depending on the heating temperature, and the recording material solution or dispersion is formed on the latent image area. In a recording method in which a liquid is supplied to make it visible and then transferred to a recording paper or the like, the latent image dots are shortened by shortening the intervals of the latent image dots positioned vertically in the rotation or movement direction of the recording body (A). The feature is that the latent images are formed so that the areas of the final latent image dot or the final latent image dot and the latent image dots in the vicinity thereof are smaller than the areas of the majority of other latent image dots while connecting them. There is. (A) A recording material having a surface that has a receding contact angle that decreases when heated and brought into contact with a liquid. (B) A liquid, a vapor, or a solid that becomes a liquid or generates a liquid or a vapor at a temperature at which the receding contact angle of the recording medium (A) is reduced or lower. In the second method of the present invention, the area of the leading latent image dot or the leading latent image dot and the latent image dot in contact with it is smaller than the area of the majority of other latent image dots. It is advantageously imaged.

In the method of the present invention, the means for supplying the contact material (B) can be omitted if a recording agent solution or dispersion such as liquid in is used. However, in that case, a latent image is formed in the presence of the recording agent solution or dispersion, and at the same time, visualization is performed. This means that the same effect can be obtained even if the recording material solution or the dispersion liquid is used as the contact material (B).

The present invention will be described in more detail below. The recording medium (A) used in the present invention has a function that when heated in a state of being in contact with a liquid, the receding contact angle becomes low even after cooling, and the receding contact angle becomes high due to heating in the absence of the liquid. A member having at least the surface thereof. The surface of the recording material (A) having such a function is (1) a member containing an organic compound having a surface self-orienting function of a hydrophobic group, or (2) an organic compound having a hydrophobic group and being hydrophobic. It is a member having a base oriented on the surface.

The "surface self-orientation function" mentioned in (1) means
When a solid formed by supporting a certain compound on a support or a solid obtained by the certain compound itself is heated in air, it means that the hydrophobic group on the surface has the property of being oriented toward the air side (free surface side). This also applies to (2). Generally, in an organic compound, the hydrophobic group has a property of being easily oriented toward the hydrophobic atmosphere. This is a phenomenon that occurs because the interfacial energy at the solid-gas interface tends to decrease. Further, this phenomenon tends to occur as the molecular length of the hydrophobic group becomes longer, but this is because the mobility of the molecule upon heating increases as the molecular length becomes longer.

More specifically, it has a hydrophobic group at the end.
A molecule (that is, one that lowers the surface energy) tends to orient toward the air side (free surface side). Similarly (-
In a linear molecule containing CH ₂ —) n, (—CH ₂ CH ₂ —)
Part has a planar structure, and the molecular chains are easily oriented. Further, the molecule containing (-Ph-) n also has a planar structure at the -Ph- portion, and the molecular chains are easily oriented. In addition, -Ph- is a p-phenylene group (the same applies hereinafter).
In particular, a linear molecule containing an element having a high electronegativity such as fluorine has a high self-aggregating property, and the molecular chains are easily oriented.

To summarize the results of these examinations, it is more preferable to use a linear molecule having a molecule having a high self-aggregation property or a molecule having a planar structure and having a hydrophobic group at the terminal, or such a linear molecule. It can be said that the compound containing the compound has a high surface self-alignment function.

As is clear from the above description, there is a relation between the surface self-orientation state and the receding contact angle, and also between the receding contact angle and the liquid adhesion. That is, the adhesion of the liquid on the solid surface occurs mainly by the tacking of the liquid on the solid surface. This tacking can be regarded as a kind of frictional force when a liquid slides on a solid surface. Therefore, in the "receding contact angle" θr in the present invention, cos θr = γ (γs-γse-πe + γf) / γev (where γ: surface tension of solid in vacuum γse: solid-liquid interfacial tension γev: liquid Surface tension when in contact with the saturated vapor πe: Equilibrium surface tension γf: Friction tension γs: Surface tension of solid without adsorption layer) is established (Saito, Kitazaki et al., "Journal of the Japan Adhesion Society"). Vol. 22, No. 12, 1986).

Therefore, the γf value increases as the value of θr decreases. That is, the liquid becomes hard to slip on the solid surface,
As a result, the liquid becomes attached to the solid surface. As can be inferred from these mutual relationships, the liquid adhesion depends on the degree of the receding contact angle θr, and the receding contact angle θr is determined by how the member having the surface self-orienting function on the surface. Therefore, in the apparatus used in the present invention, the recording material is necessarily a member having a surface self-orientation function on the surface because of the necessity of forming a desired pattern area on the surface and / or visualizing with a recording agent. Must be selected.

Although the relationship between the receding contact angle and the liquid adhesion property has been described so far, these matters are described in detail in the above-mentioned West German Laid-Open Patent No. 4010275.

The structure of the recording medium (A) is roughly classified into a recording medium formed by the surface member itself and a recording medium formed by forming the surface member on a support (preferably a heat resistant support). .. In this mode, the surface member itself is formed into a film shape, a plate shape, or a column shape. In the embodiment, the support has a belt shape,
It may be plate-shaped or drum-shaped, and is selected according to the intended use of the method / apparatus. Particularly, the drum-shaped one is excellent in that the dimensional accuracy in the device can be obtained. As the heat resistant support, resins such as tetrafluoroethylene, silicone, polyimide, polycarbonate, epoxy, melamine, phenol, polyester, polyacetal, urea, polyethylene terephthalate, and N
Metals such as i, Al, Cu, Cr and Pt and metal oxides are preferable. These supports may be smooth, rough or porous.

The contact material (B) is, to put it simply, a liquid or a vapor from the beginning, or a solid which eventually produces a liquid at a temperature below the temperature at which the receding contact angle θr of the recording medium (A) is lowered. Is. The vapor here is at least partly condensed on the surface of the recording body (A) or near the surface to produce a liquid, and the liquid can wet the surface of the recording body (A). Is enough. On the other hand, the solid here is a liquid, a liquid is generated, or a vapor is generated at a temperature at which the receding contact angle θr is reduced or lower. The vapor generated from the solid is recorded (A)
Condensation of the liquid at or near the surface of to produce a liquid is similar to the above case.

More specifically, these contact materials (B) are as follows. That is, as the liquid which is one of the contact materials (B), in addition to water, an aqueous solution containing an electrolyte, alcohols such as ethanol and n-butanol, polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin and ethylene glycol, and ketones such as methyl ethyl ketone. Polar liquid such as n-nonane,
Nonpolar liquids such as linear hydrocarbons such as n-octane, cyclic hydrocarbons such as cyclohexane, and aromatic hydrocarbons such as m-xylene and benzene can be mentioned. Also, a mixture of these may be used, and various dispersions and liquid inks can also be used. More desirably, polar liquids are better.

As the vapor which is another one of the contact materials (B), in addition to water vapor, any liquid vapor of the contact material can be used. Particularly, organic compounds such as ethanol vapor and m-xylene vapor can be used. Steam (including those in a spray state) can be mentioned. The temperature of the organic compound vapor needs to be lower than the melting point or softening point of the compound forming the surface of the recording material (A).

Other solids which are another material of the contact material (B) include higher fatty acids, low molecular weight polyethylene, polymer gels (polyacrylamide gel, polyvinyl alcohol gel), silica gel, compounds containing water of crystallization and the like. Can be mentioned.

As a supply means for bringing the contact material (B) into contact with the surface of the recording medium (A), for example, a plate is provided below the recording medium (A) and filled with liquid, and the recording medium (A) is the liquid in the plate. Always in contact with the heating source (thermal head etc.)
The simplest configuration is one in which is placed near or in the dish. Instead of the dish, a sponge-like porous body containing a liquid may be used. The latent image forming means using light or an electron beam is also basically the same as the above configuration.

As a heating means for forming a latent image, in addition to contact heating by a heater, a thermal head, etc., non-contact heating by electromagnetic waves (light rays from a light source such as a laser light source and an infrared lamp are condensed by a lens) There is.

After the latent image is formed, a recording agent solution or dispersion is supplied and attached to the latent image for visualization (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "developing"). This recording agent solution or dispersion is supplied, As a means for adhering, a roll having a sponge-like porous body impregnated with a recording agent solution or a dispersion may be brought into contact with the recording body (A), but preferably,
A configuration is adopted in which a dish filled with a recording agent solution or dispersion is arranged in the traveling direction of the recording material (A), and the recording agent solution or dispersion is always in contact with the recording material (A).

As the recording agent solution or dispersion, a solution or dispersion containing a coloring material is used. For example, a writing ink,
Among the recording agents that have been used in conventional print recording methods such as inkjet recording inks, printing inks, electrophotographic toners, etc., those compatible with the method of the present invention can be selected and used.

More specifically, examples of preferable ones are as follows.
For example, as the water-based ink, water, a wetting agent, a water-soluble ink mainly composed of a dye, water, a pigment, a polymer compound for dispersion, a water-based pigment-dispersed ink mainly composed of a wetting agent, and a pigment or dye using a surfactant are used. Examples thereof include emulsion inks and the like dispersed in water, and examples of the oil-based inks include those in which an oil-soluble dye is dispersed in an organic solvent and those in which a pigment or a dye is emulsified in an oil-based base.

As described above, in the first method of the present invention, the area dn of the final latent image dot or the area of the final latent image dot and at least the latent image dot closest thereto is different. The latent image formation is performed so as to be smaller than the area of the majority of the latent image dots (FIG. 2). By performing such a latent image forming means, the final latent image dot, or
It is possible to reduce a large amount of ink liquid that adheres to the final latent image dot and at least the latent image dot that is closest to it, so that the amount of ink liquid adhered can be made approximately the same. Depending on the size of the area of each latent image dot intentionally, how small it is desired is depending on the type, viscosity and surface tension of the recording agent solution or dispersion used, It is in the range of approximately 30 to 95% of the majority of the other latent image dots.

In the second method of the present invention, since the individual latent image dots are in contact with each other before and after them, it is advantageous for forming a solid image or a line drawing, and further for forming a ruled line.
The area of the final latent image dot dn or the final latent image dot d is the same as that of the first method of the present invention.
The area of n and at least the latent image dot in contact with it must be smaller than the area of other latent image dots (FIG. 3). Then, the size of the area is appropriately in the range of 30% to 95% of the area of the majority of other latent image dots for the same reason as described in the first method of the present invention.

Furthermore, in the second method of the present invention, the area of the leading latent image dot d ₁ or the area of the leading latent image dot and at least the latent image dot d _{2 in contact} with it is
It is desirable to make the area smaller than the area of the latent image dots that occupy the other majority (FIG. 4). This is effective when the latent image dots are substantially in contact with each other and is not suitable for the first method of the present invention. The reason for this is not necessarily clarified, but it is thought that it is derived from the fact that the visualized thing does not become a line by halftone dots.

After the latent image is formed and developed, the surface of the recording material (A) is brought into contact with the transferred material (recording paper or the like), and the adhered recording material (ink droplets) on the recording material (A) is transferred to the transferred material. The recording medium (A) may be directly transferred to the recording medium (A) and the recording medium (A) and the transfer medium are separated from each other, and an electric field is applied to the recording liquid (ink droplets) deposited on the recording medium (A). A non-contact transfer that causes the particles to fly may be adopted.

As the material to be transferred (recording paper etc.), transparent or opaque resin film, plain paper, synthetic paper, ink jet recording paper, type paper etc. can be used.

When a large number of copies of the same image information are to be made after the transfer, the visible image obtained by the developing process in which the above-mentioned recording agent solution or dispersion is further applied to the transferred latent image is transferred to the transfer target. This is achieved by repeating the transfer process.

When the transfer of one image information is completed, the surface of the recording medium (A) is heated in the absence of liquid or vapor (in air, in vacuum or in an inert gas) (heating temperature: 50 to 300 ° C., preferably 100 to 180 ° C., heating time: 1 ms to 10 s, preferably 10 ms to 1 s)
This erases the latent image. As a result, the recording body (A)
Can be used repeatedly.

As a heating source for erasing the latent image, a contact heating source such as a heater or a thermal head or a non-contact heating source by electromagnetic waves such as a laser or an infrared lamp is desirable. Heating may be performed only on the latent image portion, but the recording medium (A)
You may do it all over. Rather, it is most preferable to use an infrared lamp because heating the entire surface can simplify the device configuration.

The latent image erasing means is provided at a position where the surface of the recording medium (A) is substantially cooled during the time until the latent image is formed again after heating for erasing. The heating temperature required to erase the latent image is as described above,
It depends on the material of the surface of the recording body. However, in any case, it is desirable that the temperature is equal to or higher than the starting temperature at which the receding contact angle of the material on the surface of the recording body (A) becomes lower and is lower than the decomposition point.

In any case, the method of the present invention is based on the following phenomenon. That is, the recording body (A)
When the surface is heated, the surface of the recording medium (A) has a receding contact angle θr.
Is shown to indicate significant wetting and has a liquid coverage. Further, when the surface of the recording body (A) having the liquid adhesive property is heated again in the air, vacuum or inert gas atmosphere, the receding contact angle θr of the surface of the recording body (A) increases and the liquid repelling property becomes again. Allowed to show. As a method showing a phenomenon somewhat similar to such a phenomenon, there is a method described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 54-41902. However, the methods disclosed herein are mechanically different in that the recording materials provide a layer of substantially discontinuous and generally amorphous memory material. That is, in the method of the present invention, the state change cannot occur on the surface of the recording material (A) without the presence of the contact material (B). Also, Japanese Patent Publication No.
The method described in Japanese Patent No. 902 cannot obtain reversibility with a simple operation.

[0040]

The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Example 1 A polymer obtained by solution-polymerizing a fluorine-containing acrylate material 17F (produced by Osaka Organic Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) in 1,1,1-trichloroethane, a polyimide film having a thickness of about 50 μm (produced by Toray DuPont). A recording material (A) was prepared by coating the above. This recording medium (A) is used in the apparatus configuration shown in FIG. 1 and a latent image pattern (dot pitch is 8d in the column direction) is used.
ot / mm), as shown in FIG. 2, the final latent image dot dn (d ₄ ) is the majority of the other latent image dots (d ₁ ,
about 40% smaller than d ₂ and d ₃ ). When this was developed with an aqueous black ink liquid and transferred to a recording paper or the like, it was confirmed that the same amount of ink liquid was attached to any latent image dots.

Example 2 An image was formed in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the latent image pattern was formed as shown in FIG. The final dot has an area of 90% of the majority of the other dots. As a result, a transferred image whose thickness was almost unchanged was obtained. Moreover, this image was even better when obtained with a latent image pattern as shown in FIG.

[0043]

【The invention's effect】

(1) According to the first aspect of the invention, since the same amount of ink liquid as other latent image patterns adheres to the final latent image pattern, a high quality image can be obtained. (2) According to the second aspect of the invention, an image line having a uniform thickness is drawn as a whole, and further, the space between the latent image dots arranged side by side with respect to the rotation or movement direction of the recording medium (A) is adjusted. A good quality solid image can also be obtained. According to the invention of claim 3, such a tendency becomes more remarkable.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an example of an apparatus effective for carrying out the method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a latent image dot pattern formed by the method of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another example of a latent image dot pattern formed by the method of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing still another example of a latent image dot pattern formed by the method of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a representative example of a latent image dot pattern formed by a conventional method.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Recording Layer 2 Substrate 3 Recording Body (A) 4 Thermal Head 5 Latent Image 6 Dish 7 Ink Liquid 7a Adhesive Ink Liquid 8 Transferee 9 Transfer Roller 10 Latent Image Erasing Lamp d ₁ Leading Latent Image Dot d ₂ Final Latent image dot

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A dot-shaped heating is performed while the surface of the following recording material (A) and the following contact material (B) are in contact with each other, or the surface of the recording material (A) is heated in a dot shape. By contacting with the contact material (B) in this state, a latent image area having a different receding contact angle is formed on the surface of the recording material (A) depending on the heating temperature, and a recording agent solution or dispersion liquid is supplied thereto. A final latent image dot or a final latent image dot among the latent image dots positioned vertically in the rotation or movement direction of the recording medium (A) in a recording method in which the image is visualized and then transferred to a recording paper or the like. And a latent image formation is performed such that the area of latent image dots in the vicinity of the area is smaller than the area of most other latent image dots. (A) A recording material having a surface that has a receding contact angle that decreases when heated and brought into contact with a liquid. (B) A liquid, a vapor, or a solid that becomes a liquid or generates a liquid or a vapor at a temperature at which the receding contact angle of the recording medium (A) is reduced or lower. 2. A dot-shaped heating is performed while the surface of the following recording material (A) and the following contact material (B) are in contact with each other, or the surface of the recording material (A) is heated in a dot shape. By contacting with the contact material (B) in this state, a latent image area having a different receding contact angle is formed on the surface of the recording material (A) depending on the heating temperature, and a recording agent solution or dispersion liquid is supplied thereto. In the recording method in which the image is visualized and then transferred to a recording paper or the like, the intervals of the latent image dots vertically aligned in the rotation or movement direction of the recording body (A) are shortened to connect the latent image dots to each other, and A recording method, wherein a latent image is formed such that the area of the final latent image dot or the area of the final latent image dot and the latent image dot in the vicinity thereof is smaller than the areas of the majority of other latent image dots. (A) A recording material having a surface that has a receding contact angle that decreases when heated and brought into contact with a liquid. (B) A liquid, a vapor, or a solid that becomes a liquid or generates a liquid or a vapor at a temperature at which the receding contact angle of the recording medium (A) is reduced or lower. 3. The first latent image dot or the first latent image dot and a latent image dot in contact with the first latent image dot are connected together while connecting the latent image dots vertically arranged in the rotation or movement direction of the recording medium (A). 3. The latent image formation is performed so that the area is smaller than the area of the majority of other latent image dots.
Recording method described.