Patent ID: 8360161

Claim:
A method of isolating an annulus first portion from an annulus second portion, comprising: slidably disposing a first moving collar and a second moving collar on a tubular, intermediate a first anchor collar and a second anchor collar, with the first moving collar being disposed intermediate the second moving collar and the second anchor collar; disposing a packing member on the tubular intermediate the first moving collar and the second moving collar; coupling a first end of one or more first shape-memory elements to the first anchor collar and a second end of the one or more first shape-memory elements to the first moving collar; coupling a first end of one or more second shape-memory elements to the second anchor collar and a second end of the one or more second shape-memory elements to the second moving collar; disposing the packing member within a bore; and raising the temperature of the one or more first shape-memory elements and the one or more second shape-memory elements to a transition temperature to axially contract the one or more first shape-memory elements and the one or more second shape-memory elements, wherein axial contraction of the one more first shape memory elements causes the first moving collar to move towards the first anchor collar, and axial contraction of the one or more second shape-memory elements causes the second moving collar to move towards the second anchor collar, and wherein moving the first moving collar towards the first anchor collar and moving the second moving collar towards the second anchor collar causes the packing member to radially expand into engagement with wall of the bore.