Patent ID: 8087459

Claim:
A downhole tool, comprising: a mandrel; a swellable packer disposed on the mandrel and being swellable within a downhole annulus in the presence of an activating agent; and an isolation element disposed on the mandrel adjacent the swellable packer, the isolation element being at least partially deformable radially outward to a surrounding borehole wall and at least partially isolating the swellable element from a portion of the downhole annulus, comprising: a first element deformable radially outward; and a bias unit releasably affixed on the mandrel adjacent the first element, axially biasable toward the first element to at least partially deform the first element radially outward to the surrounding borehole wall, wherein the bias unit is axially releasable on the mandrel in response to at least one of: axial swelling of the swellable packer; or fluid pressure conveyed through the mandrel.