Patent ID: 9359863
Filing Date: 2016-06-07
CPC Classification: E21B

Claim Text:
1. A downhole apparatus for use in a wellbore, said apparatus comprising: a central mandrel; a slip assembly disposed on said mandrel wherein said slip assembly grippingly engages said wellbore when said downhole apparatus is in a set position; a cup-shaped sealing element disposed on said mandrel, said cup-shaped sealing element having a radially extending portion such that said cup-shaped sealing element forms a first chamber and a second chamber separated by said radially extending portion, and wherein said first chamber and said second chamber are each defined on one side by said mandrel, and wherein said sealing element sealingly engages said wellbore when said downhole apparatus is in said set position; a ring element disposed on said mandrel and operationally engaging said sealing element and said slip assembly such that, when a setting force is applied to said ring element, said ring element expands radially outward thus transferring said setting force to said sealing element such that said sealing element sealingly engages said wellbore and said ring element axially transfers said setting force to said slip assembly such that said slip assembly grippingly engages said wellbore; and a sleeve disposed on said mandrel, the sleeve transfers said setting force from a setting tool to said ring element when said downhole apparatus is changed from an unset position to said set position, and wherein a retaining ring is housed in said first chamber and said ring element is housed in said second chamber, and wherein said retaining ring abuts said slip assembly such that, when said setting force is applied, said ring element transfers said setting force to said retaining ring through said radially extending portion of said cup-shaped sealing element and said retaining ring transfers said setting force to said slip assembly.