LED for interfacing and connecting to conductive substrates

A decorative article of apparel having a first surface and a current conducting path arranged on the first surface comprising, an illumination device including, an LED having a diode body and a pair of leads connected to said diode body, a first portion of said leads extending along a first plane away from said diode body;

• encapsulating material forming a housing made of encapsulating material completely surrounding said diode body and having external walls defining boundaries, said first portion of said leads extending along said first plane arranged within said housing, each of said leads having a second portion extending outside of said housing and being arranged substantially flush against one of said external walls of said housing and along a second plane which extends substantially transverse to said first plane;
• and connector means for affixing said housing to said first surface of said apparel in a position where said second portion of said leads are arranged in electrical communication with said current conducting path.

An illumination device comprising:

• An LED having a diode body and a pair of leads connected to said diode body, said leads having a first portion extending along a first plane away from said diode body;
• encapsulating material forming a housing having external walls defining boundaries, said housing completely surrounding said diode body, said first portion of said leads extending along said first plane and being arranged within said housing, each of said leads having a second portion extending outside of said housing and being arranged substantially flush against one of said external walls of said housing and extending along a second plane substantially transverse to said first plane, said second portion of said leads terminating at allocation within the boundary defined by said external wall along which said second portion of said leads extend;
• and a projection having one end connected to a bottom section of the hosing and a flange at an end of the projection remote from the connected end, and means operatively and removably connectable to the projection to hold the illumination device in assembled position of the apparel to which said housing is being affixed.