Dissolvable, protective covering for downhole tool components

Abstract

A downhole tool can include: an inner mandrel; at least one component, wherein a portion of the at least one component moves in a direction radially away from the inner mandrel when the downhole tool is set; and a protective covering, wherein the protective covering comprises a dissolvable material, and wherein the protective covering partially surrounds an outer diameter of the at least one component when the downhole tool is run-in. The downhole tool can be introduced into a wellbore. The protective covering can dissolve via chemical reactions of metals, metal alloys, or metal oxides, or by melting of a thermoplastic. The downhole tool can be set after the protective covering has dissolved. The tool can be a packer assembly, bridge plug, frac pack plug, or liner hangers. The at least one component of the downhole tool can be a sealing element, a collet, a split wedge, or a slip.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.