Discharge lamp having overlaid fluorescent coatings and methods of making the same

1. A discharge lamp comprising:

a) a vitreous tube having an axial length;

b) a base phosphor coating applied on the tube interior along the entire axial length; and

c) at least one phosphor over-coat applied over the base phosphor coating in one or more axial regions of the vitreous tube, the phosphor over-coat being applied to less than the total length of the vitreous tube.

2. A discharge lamp as recited in claim 1 , wherein the phosphor over-coat is applied over two axial regions of the vitreous tube.

3. A discharge lamp as recited in claim 2 , wherein the two axial regions in which the phosphor over-coat is applied are positioned at axially opposed ends of the tube.

4. A discharge lamp as recited in claim 1 , wherein the two axial regions in which the at least one phosphor over-coat is applied have different axial lengths.

5. A discharge lamp as recited in claim 1 , wherein the phosphor over-coat is applied in a single axial region of the vitreous tube.

6. A discharge lamp as recited in claim 5 , wherein the single axial region has a length of approximately 18 inches and is positioned adjacent to an end of the vitreous tube.

7. A discharge lamp as recited in claim 1 , wherein the phosphor over-coat(s) applied in each region are formed from different material.

8. A discharge lamp as recited in claim 2 , wherein the phosphor over-coat(s) applied in each region of the lamp have a different thickness.

9. A discharge lamp as recited in claim 2 , wherein the two regions of the lamp in which the phosphor over-coat is applied are each adapted and configured for having a luminous output substantially equal to the remainder of the lamp.

10. A discharge lamp as recited in claim 5 , wherein the phosphor over-coat applied in a single region of the tube is adapted and configured to provide a luminous intensity which is greater than the remainder of the lamp.

11. A discharge lamp as recited in claim 1 , wherein the base phosphor coating and/or the phosphor over-coat(s) include material that fluoresces in a visible light spectrum.

12. A discharge lamp as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a reflector coating applied on the interior of the tube.

13. A discharge lamp as recited in claim 1 , wherein the vitreous tube has an outer periphery having a helical groove path formed therein over at least a portion of the axial length.

14. A tanning lamp comprising:

a) a vitreous tube of finite length;

b) a base phosphor coating applied on the interior of the tube;

c) a phosphor over-coat applied to an axial region of the vitreous tube with a length different than that of the base phosphor coating, the over-coated region providing radiation suitable for tanning a face.

15. A tanning lamp as recited in claim 14 , wherein the overcoated region and the non-overcoated region emit light in the visual spectrum, and wherein the same light color is emitted in both the overcoated and non-overcoated regions.

16. A tanning lamp as recited in claim 14 , wherein the overcoated region and the non-overcoated region emit light in the visual spectrum, and wherein different light colors are emitted in the overcoated and non-overcoated regions.

17. A tanning lamp as recited in claim 14 , wherein the phosphor over-coat includes more than one layer of phosphor material.

18. A tanning lamp as recited in claim 14 , wherein the region of the vitreous tube having the phosphor over-coat has a length of approximately 18 inches and is positioned adjacent to an end of the vitreous tube.

19. A tanning lamp as recited in claim 14 , wherein the region of the vitreous tube having the phosphor over-coat provides a luminous intensity which is greater than the remainder of the lamp.

20. A tanning lamp as recited in claim 14 , further comprising a reflector coating applied on the interior of the vitreous tube.

21. A tanning lamp as recited in claim 14 , wherein the vitreous tube has an outer periphery having a helical groove path formed therein over at least a portion of the axial length.

22. A method for fabricating a discharge lamp having one or more over-coated regions, the method comprising the steps of:

a) washing a vitreous tube with hot water;

b) drying the washed tube;

c) applying a phosphor base coat which has a desired UV radiation intensity to a desired thickness over the full length of the tube;

d) baking the phosphor base coated tube in an annealing oven;

e) applying an over coating of phosphor having a desired thickness to a portion of the tube length which is less than the total length;

f) baking the tube in an annealing oven;

g) sealing the tube with filament carrying mounts at both ends;

h) dosing the sealed bulbs with a specified amount of mercury;

i) exhausting the tube;

j) filling the tube with a desired gas at a desired pressure; and

k) vacuum sealing the mercury-containing tube.

23. The method as recited in claim 22 , further comprising the steps of:

a) applying a reflector coating to the tube over the desired reflector angle, thickness and length;

b) baking the reflector coated tube in an annealing oven to bake out the phosphor and to vaporize the solvent;

wherein the reflector coat is applied and the coated tube is baked prior to applying the phosphor base coat.