Process and apparatus for forming dot image capable of controlling dot size

A process for forming a dot image on a recording medium which has a surface having a characteristic in which a receding contact angle decreases when said recording medium is heated in a condition where said recording medium is in contact with a liquid, a vapor or a solid which generates or changes to either a vapor or a liquid at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the receding contact angle on said recording medium starts to decrease, said process comprising in any order the following steps (a) and (b) of:

• (a) selectively heating the surface of said recording medium so that one or a plurality of heated areas are formed on the surface of said recording medium in accordance with image information, the size of each heated area being controlled in accordance with the image information;
• and
• (b) bringing a recording agent which includes a colorant into contact with the surface of said recording medium,
• wherein the receding contact angle of each heated area decreases and the recording agent adheres to the heated areas, the amount of the recording agent adhering to each heated area corresponding to the size of each corresponding heated area, so that a gradational visible image is formed on the surface of said recording medium.

A process for forming a dot image on a recording medium which has a surface having a characteristic in which a receding contact angle decreases when said recording medium is heated in a condition where said recording medium is in contact with a liquid, a vapor or a solid which generates or changes to either a vapor or a liquid at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the receding contact angle on said recording medium starts to decrease, said process comprising in any order the following steps (a) and (b) of:

• (a) selectively heating the surface of said recording medium so that one or a plurality of heated areas are formed on the surface of said recording medium in accordance with image information, the temperature of each heated area being controlled in accordance with the image information;
• and
• (b) bringing a contact material into contact with the surface of said recording medium, said contact material being either a liquid, a vapor or a solid which generates or changes to either a vapor or a liquid at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the receding contact angle on said recording medium starts to decrease,
• wherein the receding contact angle of each heated area decreases and corresponds to the temperature thereof so that a latent image corresponding to one or the plurality of the heated areas is formed on the surface of said recording medium.

A process for forming a dot image on a recording medium which has a surface having a characteristic in which a receding contact angle decreases when said recording medium is heated in a condition where said recording medium is in contact with a liquid, a vapor or a solid which generates or changes to either a vapor or a liquid at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the receding contact angle on said recording medium starts to decrease, said process comprising in any order the following steps (a) and (b) of:

• (a) selectively heating the surface of said recording medium so that one or a plurality of heated areas are formed on the surface of said recording medium in accordance with image information, the temperature of each heated area being controlled in accordance with the image information;
• and
• (b) bringing a recording agent which includes a colorant into contact with the surface of said recording medium,
• wherein the receding contact angle of each heated area decreases and corresponds to the temperature thereof and the recording agent adheres to the heated areas, the amount of the recording agent adhering to each heated area corresponding to the temperature of each corresponding heated area, so that a gradational visible image is formed on the surface of said recording medium.

A process for forming a dot image on a recording medium which has a surface having a characteristic in which a receding contact angle decreases when said recording medium is heated in a condition where said recording medium is in contact with a liquid, a vapor or a solid which generates or changes to either a vapor or a liquid at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the receding contact angle on said recording medium starts to decrease, said process comprising in any order the following steps (a) and (b) of:

• (a) selectively heating the surface of said recording medium so that one or a plurality of heated areas are formed on the surface of said recording medium in accordance with image information, the size of each heated area and the temperature thereof being controlled in accordance with the image information;
• and
• (b) bringing a contact material into contact with the surface of said recording medium, said contact material being either a liquid, a vapor or a solid which generates or changes to either a vapor or a liquid at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the receding contact angle on said recording medium starts to decrease,
• wherein the receding contact angle of each heated area decreases so that a latent image corresponding to one or the plurality of the heated areas is formed on the surface of said recording medium.

A process for controlling the size of each dot in a dot image formed on a recording medium which has a surface having a characteristic in which a receding contact angle decreases when said recording medium is heated in a condition where said recording medium is in contact with a liquid, a vapor or a solid which generates or changes to either a vapor or a liquid at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the receding contact angle on said recording medium starts to decrease, said process comprising in order the following steps (a) and (b) of:

• (a) selectively heating the surface of said recording medium so that one or a plurality of heated areas are formed on the surface of said recording medium in accordance with image information, the size and temperature of each heated area being controlled in accordance with the image information;
• and
• (b) bringing a recording agent which includes a colorant into contact with the surface of said recording medium,
• wherein the receding contact angle of each heated area decreases and corresponds to the temperature thereof and the recording agent adheres to the heated areas, the amount of the recording agent adhering to each heated area corresponding to the size and the temperature of each corresponding heated area, so that a gradational visible image is formed on the surface of said recording medium.

An apparatus for recording an image comprising:

• a recording medium which has a surface having a characteristic in which a receding contact angle decreases when said recording medium is heated in a condition where said recording medium is in contact with a liquid, a vapor or a solid which generates or changes to either a vapor or a liquid at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the receding contact angle on said recording medium starts to decrease;
• heating means for heating the surface of said recording medium;
• controlling means for controlling an amount of heat supplied from said heating means to the surface of said recording means in accordance with image information;
• and
• first supplying means, coupled to said recording medium, for supplying a contact material to the surface of said recording medium, said contact material being selected from a group comprising a liquid, a vapor and a solid which generates or changes to either a vapor or a liquid at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the receding contact angle on said recording medium starts to decrease,
• wherein the receding angle of a liquid adhesive area on the surface of said recording medium decreases, the liquid adhesive area being an area to which heat from said heating means is supplied in a condition where the contact material is in contact with the surface of said recording medium, so that a latent image corresponding to the liquid adhesive area is formed on the surface of said recording medium.

An apparatus for recording an image comprising:

• a recording medium which has a surface having a characteristic in which a receding contact angle decreases when said recording medium is heated in a condition where said recording medium is in contact with a liquid, a vapor or a solid which generates or changes to either a vapor or a liquid at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the receding contact angle on said recording medium starts to decrease;
• means for supplying said liquid, said vapor to said solid to said recording medium;
• heating means for heating the surface of said recording medium;
• controlling means for controlling an amount of heat supplied from said heating means to the surface of said recording means in accordance with image information;
• and
• supplying means, coupled to said recording medium, for supplying a recording agent which includes a colorant to the surface of said recording medium,
• wherein the receding contact angle of a liquid adhesive area decreases and the recording agent adheres to the liquid adhesive area, the liquid adhesive area being an area to which the heat from said heating means is supplied in a condition where the recording agent is in contact with the surface of said recording medium, an amount of the recording agent adhering to the liquid adhesive area corresponding to the heat supplied from said heating means to the surface of said recording medium, so that a gradational visible image is formed on the surface of said recording medium.

An apparatus for recording an image comprising:

• a recording medium which has a surface having a characteristic in which a receding contact angle decreases when said recording medium is heated in a condition where said recording medium is in contact with a liquid, a vapor or a solid which generates or changes to either a vapor or a liquid at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the receding contact angle on said recording medium starts to decrease;
• heating means for heating the surface of said recording medium;
• controlling means for controlling a size of an area to which said heating means supplies heat in accordance with image information;
• and
• first supplying means, coupled to said recording medium, for supplying a contact material to the surface of said recording medium, said contact material being selected from a group comprising a liquid, a vapor and a solid which generates or changes to either a vapor or a liquid at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the receding contact angle on said recording medium starts to decrease,
• wherein the receding angle of a liquid adhesive area on the surface of said recording medium decreases, the liquid adhesive area being the area to which the heat from said heating means is supplied in a condition where the contact material is in contact with the surface of said recording medium, so that a latent image corresponding to the liquid adhesive area is formed on the surface of said recording medium.

An apparatus for recording an image comprising:

• a recording medium which has a surface having a characteristic in which a receding contact angle decreases when said recording medium is heated in a condition where said recording medium is in contact with a liquid, a vapor or a solid which generates or changes to either a vapor or a liquid at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the receding contact angle on said recording medium starts to decrease;
• means for supplying said liquid, said vapor or said solid to said recording medium;
• heating means for heating the surface of said recording medium;
• controlling means for controlling a size of an area to which said heating means supplies heat in accordance with image information;
• and
• supplying means, coupled to said recording medium, for supplying a recording agent which includes a colorant to the surface of said recording medium,
• wherein the receding contact angle of a liquid adhesive area decreases and the recording agent adheres to the liquid adhesive area, the liquid adhesive area being an area to which the heat from said heating means is supplied in a condition where the recording agent is in contact with the surface of said recording medium, an amount of the recording agent adhering to the liquid adhesive area corresponding to a size of the liquid adhesive area to which said heating means supplies the heat, so that a gradational visible image is formed on the surface of said recording medium.