Patent ID: 7303005

Claim:
A method of assembling a thermal management system, comprising: (a) forming a hole through a thickness of an anisotropic graphite planar element, the planar element having first and second oppositely facing major planar surfaces, the hole having a cross-sectional shape having maximum cross-sectional dimension parallel to the plane of the planar element; (b) providing a thermal via constructed of an isotropic material, the thermal via having a cross-sectional shape complementary to the cross-sectional shape of the hole and having a minimum cross-sectional dimension larger than the maximum cross-sectional dimension of the hole, wherein the thermal via includes a stem and a first flange, the stem comprising the minimum cross-sectional dimension; and (c) press fitting the thermal via into the hole of the graphite planar element until the first flange engages one of the major planar surfaces of the graphite planar element, thereby creating a close fit between the thermal via and graphite planar element, so that heat from a heat source can be conducted through the via into the thickness of the planar element.