Patent ID: 7820370

Claim:
A multicolor thermal imaging method comprising: (a) providing a thermal imaging member comprising at least a first image-forming layer forming a first color when heated and a second image-forming layer forming a second color when heated, said first and second colors being different from each other; (b) applying heat to form an image in said first color at a first speed of travel of said thermal imaging member with respect to a source of said heat; and (c) applying heat to form an image in said second color at a second speed of travel of said thermal imaging member with respect to said source of said heat; wherein said first speed of travel and said second speed of travel are substantially different speeds of travel; whereby a multicolor image is formed in said thermal imaging member; wherein at least one of said image-forming layers is at a first baseline temperature before applying heat to form an image in said first color and at a second baseline temperature before applying heat to form an image in said second color, wherein said first and second baseline temperatures differ by at least about 5° C.