Patent ID: 8083001

Claim:
A gage ring assembly for support of a containment ring in a packer device having a central mandrel and an axially compressible packer element surrounding the mandrel, the gage ring assembly comprising: a plurality of first arcuate segments disposed radially around the mandrel, the first segments each comprising a body having: a support surface for supporting the containment ring; diverging side surfaces; a plurality of second arcuate segments disposed radially around the mandrel, the second segments each presenting a support surface for supporting the containment ring; and wherein the first and second arcuate segments are disposed in an alternating manner about the mandrel such that a first arcuate segment is located between each two of the second arcuate segments; the first and second arcuate segments being axially moveable relative to each other so that the diverging side surfaces of the first segments urge the second segments apart from each other and cause the first and second segments to move radially outwardly; and wherein the first and second segments are moveable to set position wherein the support surfaces of the first and second segments are aligned to the set position to form a substantially unbroken support wall for the containment ring.