Igniter for activating a downhole component and method of using same

A downhole tool, comprising:

• a downhole component;
• and
• an igniter for activating the downhole component, the igniter comprising:
• an igniter housing positioned in the downhole tool, the igniter housing comprising an igniter portion and a nose portion, the igniter portion having a switch chamber therein, the nose portion having a propellant opening therethrough;
• a switch assembly positioned in the switch chamber, the switch assembly comprising a switch movable between an untriggered and a triggered position;
• and
• a propellant supported by the nose portion, the propellant connected to the switch and ignited thereby when the switch is moved to the triggered position whereby the propellant releases a gas through the propellant opening to activate the downhole component.

A method of activating a downhole component of a downhole tool, comprising:

• positioning an igniter within the downhole component of the downhole tool, the igniter comprising an igniter housing, a switch assembly, and a propellant;
• positioning the downhole tool in a wellbore;
• and
• triggering the igniter to ignite the propellant by passing a trigger signal from a surface unit to the switch assembly such that the propellant is ignited and releases gas under pressure into the downhole component thereby shifting the downhole component.