Method and Apparatus for providing a ball-in-place plug activated by cup and internal continuous expansion mechanism

A method comprising:

• deploying a plug assembly, using a retrievable setting tool, into a tubing string containing well fluid, the plug assembly including:
• an expandable assembly, comprising a continuous sealing portion and a gripping portion,
• a locking ring,
• a cup,
• wherein the retrievable setting tool includes an external mandrel and an internal rod,
• whereby the external mandrel includes a longitudinal stopping surface relative to the locking ring,
• wherein the expandable assembly includes a flared inner surface,
• wherein the locking ring includes a flared outer surface, a stopping inner surface relative to the cup, a longitudinal stopping surface relative to the external mandrel of the retrievable setting tool, and a flared portion,
• wherein the flared portion of the locking ring includes a flared inner surface positioned opposite of the flared outer surface,
• wherein the cup includes a flared outer surface, a stopping outer surface and a stopping inner surface,
• wherein the flared outer surface of the locking ring is contacting the flared inner surface of the expandable assembly,
• wherein the flared outer surface of the cup is contacting the flared inner surface of the locking ring,
• wherein the stopping outer surface of the cup is adapted to couple with the stopping inner surface of the locking ring;
• expanding the expandable assembly over the flared outer surface of the locking ring,
• whereby the expandable assembly deforms radially until the gripping portion of the expandable assembly contacts at least one point of an internal surface of the tubing string,
• whereby the longitudinal stopping surface of the locking ring relative to the external mandrel and the longitudinal stopping surface of the external mandrel relative to the locking ring are stopped longitudinally relative to each other's, during the expansion of the expandable assembly.