Patent ID: 8047280

Claim:
A downhole tool for isolating zones in a well, the tool comprising: a mandrel; a sealing element disposed around the mandrel; an upper cone disposed around the mandrel proximate an upper end of the sealing element; an upper slip assembly disposed around the mandrel adjacent a sloped surface of the upper cone; a lower cone disposed around the mandrel proximate a lower end of the sealing element; a lower slip assembly disposed around the mandrel adjacent a sloped surface of the lower cone; two element end rings, a first element end ring disposed adjacent the upper end of the sealing element and a second element end ring disposed adjacent the lower end of the sealing element; and two element barrier assemblies, each assembly disposed adjacent one of the two element end rings and each of the two element barrier assemblies comprising a first barrier ring and a second barrier ring, wherein each of the first and second barrier rings has a cylindrical portion, a first face, and a second end, wherein the cylindrical portion is formed with a plurality of slits extending from the second end to a location behind the first face, and wherein the slits formed on the first barrier ring are rotationally offset from the slits formed on the second barrier ring.