Patent ID: 8002045

Claim:
A downhole tool comprising: an elongated mandrel; a first slip assembly carried on the mandrel and having a first slip radially extendable to grip a wall of a wellbore and a first engaging portion, the first engaging portion adapted to grip the mandrel against relative movement in a first axial direction and allow relative movement of the mandrel in a second axial direction; a second slip assembly carried on the mandrel and having a second slip radially extendable to grip the wall of the wellbore and a second engaging portion, the second engaging portion adapted to grip the mandrel against relative movement in the first axial direction and allow relative movement of the mandrel in the second axial direction; a sealing element carried on the mandrel adapted to engage the wall of the wellbore, wherein the first slip assembly and the second slip assembly cooperate to form a first load path bypassing the sealing element when the mandrel is loaded in the first axial direction and a second load path including the sealing element when the mandrel is loaded in the second axial direction.