Injection device including a sealing member, and method for removing said sealing member from the injection device

Abstract

This injection device (1) includes: a housing (2) containing a reservoir (11) for storing a predetermined volume of a medical product, a patch (22) arranged on the housing (2) for allowing attachment of the injection device (1) to an injection site, and a fluidic chamber (5) configured for fluidly connecting the reservoir (11) to a catheter (32), the fluidic chamber (5) being axially movable together with the catheter (32) between an initial position and an activated position, distally located with respect to the initial position, in which the catheter (32) is deployed outside the housing (2) in order to penetrate into the injection site. The injection device (1) further includes: a sealing member (4), removably attached to the fluidic chamber (5) and arranged around the catheter (32) for maintaining sterility, the sealing member (4) being rotatably attached to the fluidic chamber (5), and a remover (6) configured to be grasped by a user and to transmit a torque to the sealing member (4) such that rotation of the remover (6) by the user causes rotation of the sealing member (4) with respect to the fluidic chamber (5) in order to remove the sealing member (4).

Description

[0001] Injection device including a sealing member, and method for removing said sealing member from the injection device

[0002] The present invention relates to a wearable injection device including a sealing member configured for keeping sterility of a catheter insertion mechanism of the injection device, and a method for removing the sealing member from the injection device.

[0003] In this application, the distal end of a component or of a device is to be understood as meaning the end furthest from the user's hand and the proximal end is to be understood as meaning the end closest to the user's hand. Likewise, in this application, the “distal direction” is to be understood as meaning the direction away from the user's hand, and the “proximal direction” is to be understood as meaning the direction toward the user's hand.

[0004] Wearable injection devices are injection devices configured to be worn by a patient, and more specifically attached to the patient’s skin, during a predetermined time period, usually ranging from several minutes or hours to several days. The wearable injection devices are configured to deliver a predetermined volume of medical product at a predetermined flow rate and at a predetermined time after activation.

[0005] The medical product is transferred from a prefilled syringe to a reservoir of the wearable injection by a healthcare worker, such as a nurse, before activation and application of the wearable injection device onto the patient’s skin. The prefilled syringe is typically contained in a kit packaging which also contains the wearable injection device.

[0006] Usually, the whole packaged medical product is sterilized by means of a gas, such as ethylene oxide (ETO). The packaging then maintains sterility of the wearable injection device contained therein. However, this sterilization method has some drawbacks. The ETO is non- sustainable, and may damage the electronic system of the wearable injection devices. Batteries are subject to risks of explosion. Other sterilization techniques are available, such as beam or irradiation like e-beam, Y-ray or gamma, but they all can damage the electronic system. Besides, since the whole packaging is sterilized, sterility is broken as soon as the user opens the packaging. Consequently, if the injection device is let out of the packaging for a while before use, the catheter and / or the needle, which are exposed to ambiant air, can be contaminated by dust, projection or other.

[0007] Wearable injection devices of the prior art usually include a catheter insertion mechanism including a rigid needle for pricking the injection site and a flexible catheter designed, in an activated position, to extend through a patient’s skin in order to establish a fluid path between a reservoir containing the medical product of the injection device and the injection site. Upon activation of the injection device, the needle and the catheter move from an initial storage position to the activated position. It is important that the needle and the catheter stay in the initial storage position before positive activation by the user, otherwise the injection device is useless.

[0008] It is known from document W02023003793 a needle shield remover assembly for a wearable injector. Document US2019015585 discloses a cannula insertion mechanism. It is known from US2022211952 a needle hub for a drug delivery device. Document US2019083709 discloses an injector with a needle stick protector.

[0009] There is therefore a need for an injection device that alleviate some or all of the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art. More specifically, there is a need for an injection device that prevents inadvertent and premature activation of the catheter insertion mechanism.

[0010] In this context, an aspect of the invention is an injection device including: a housing containing a reservoir for storing a predetermined volume of a medical product, a patch arranged on the housing for allowing attachment of the injection device to an injection site, a fluidic chamber configured for fluidly connecting the reservoir to a catheter, the fluidic chamber being axially movable together with the catheter between an initial position and an activated position, distally located with respect to the initial position, in which the catheter is deployed outside the housing in order to penetrate into the injection site, and a sealing member, removably attached to the fluidic chamber and arranged around the catheter for maintaining sterility, the sealing member being rotatably attached to the fluidic chamber, and a remover configured to be grasped by a user and to transmit a torque to the sealing member such that rotation of the remover by the user causes rotation of the sealing member with respect to the fluidic chamber in order to remove the sealing member.

[0011] Therefore, the sealing member is detached from the fluidic chamber without exerting any axial effort on the fluidic chamber. Thus, the fluidic chamber is not pulled towards the activated position during removal of the sealing member. Risk of inadvertent activation of the injection device during removal of the sealing member is therefore avoided.

[0012] The injection device of the invention also allows for providing a sterile barrier around the needle and the catheter, i.e. at the outlet port of the fluidic circuit, thanks to the sealing member.

[0013] The injection device of the invention may further include some or all of the features listed below.

[0014] The sealing member is rotationally removable from the fluidic chamber. In an embodiment, the sealing member and the fluidic chamber include axial sealing surfaces configured to axially abut against each other.

[0015] This permits to provide sterility by axially compressed sealing surfaces.

[0016] In an embodiment, the injection device includes a seal sandwiched between the axial sealing surfaces.

[0017] In an embodiment, the seal is fixed to the sealing member.

[0018] Possibly, the seal being made of a softer material than that of the sealing member.

[0019] That is, the sealing member is bi-material, the seal being made for instance of TPE, silicone or PU, while the rest of the sealing member is made of a more rigid material.

[0020] Possibly, the seal is fixed to the fluidic chamber.

[0021] In an embodiment, the sealing member is rotatably attached to the fluidic chamber by means of a thread.

[0022] In an embodiment, the thread is a double thread.

[0023] This reduces the required number of turns for removing the sealing member.

[0024] In an embodiment, the sealing member is rotatably attached to the fluidic chamber by means of quarter-turn fasteners.

[0025] In an embodiment, the quarter-turn fasteners include a groove provided with an axial portion and a circumferential portion, the axial portion defining a constant inner diameter D2 and the circumferential portion defining a varying inner diameter D1 .

[0026] In an embodiment, the groove includes a hard point configured for resisting detachment of the sealing member from the fluidic chamber.

[0027] The hard point may be a recess arranged in the groove for receiving a radial lug.

[0028] In an embodiment, the sealing member and the remover are made of a single piece.

[0029] Therefore, the injection device includes is a fewer number of components.

[0030] In an embodiment, the sealing member and the remover are two separate components.

[0031] This allows to sterilize the injection device without the remover.

[0032] In an embodiment, the remover includes an orthoradial abutment surface configured for orthoradially abutting against a corresponding orthoradial abutment surface of the sealing member so that rotation of the remover causes rotation of the sealing member.

[0033] In an embodiment, the remover includes a distal abutment surface configured to axially abut against a proximal abutment surface of the sealing member, the distal abutment surface and the proximal abutment surface being axially distant in an initial position of the remover. In an embodiment, the patch includes a liner configured to be peeled off when the sealing member is removed from the injection device.

[0034] Preferably, a gap is arranged between the liner and the sealing member and / or between the liner and the remover so that the remover and the sealing member can be rotated without rotating the liner.

[0035] Another aspect of the invention is a method for removing the sealing member of the above-described injection device, the method including the following steps:

[0036] (i) in a first stage, rotating the remover in orderto cause rotation of the sealing member with respect to the fluidic chamber ;

[0037] (ii) in a second stage, after detachment of the sealing member from the fluidic chamber, axially pulling the remover to axially withdraw the sealing member from the injection device.

[0038] The second stage occurs after completion of the first stage.

[0039] Possibly, the second stage of axially pulling the remover together with the sealing member causes removal of a liner of the patch from an adhesive layer of the patch. That is, removal of the sealing member from the injection device entails automatic and simultaneous removal of the liner. The user does not have to perform two different consecutive actions.

[0040] The invention and the advantages arising therefrom will clearly emerge from the detailed description that is given below with reference to the appended drawings as follows :

[0041] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention, in an initial (unactivated) state,

[0042] Figure 2 is a perspective view of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention, in an activated state,

[0043] Figure 3 is an exploded view of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0044] Figure 4 is a perspective of a catheter insertion mechanism of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0045] Figure 5 is an exploded view of a catheter insertion mechanism of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0046] Figures 6-7 are perspective views illustrating a fluidic chamber of the catheter insertion mechanism of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0047] Figures 8A and 8B are cross-section views of a catheter insertion mechanism of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention, respectively in an initial position and an activated position, Figure 9 is a perspective view of a catheter insertion mechanism of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0048] Figure 10 is a cross-section of a catheter insertion mechanism of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0049] Figure 1 1 is a detail of Figure 10,

[0050] Figure 12 is a perspective view of a sealing member of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0051] Figure 13 is a side view of a fluidic chamber of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0052] Figure 14 is a perspective view of a catheter insertion mechanism of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0053] Figure 15 is a perspective view of a sealing member of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0054] Figure 16 is a detail of Figure 15,

[0055] Figure 17 is a perspective view of a fluidic chamber of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0056] Figure 18A is a side view, through a transparent sealing member, illustrating the connection between a fluidic chamber and a sealing member of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0057] Figure 18B is a top cross-section view of a catheter insertion mechanism of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0058] Figure 19 is a perspective view of a catheter insertion mechanism of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0059] Figure 20 is a perspective view of a sealing member of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0060] Figure 21 is a perspective view of a remover of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0061] Figure 22 is a cross-section view of a catheter insertion mechanism of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0062] Figure 23 is a perspective view illustrating the engagement between a remover and a sealing member of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention, Figure 24 is a cross-section view of a catheter insertion mechanism of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0063] Figure 25 is a cross-section view of a catheter insertion mechanism of an injection device according to an embodiment of the invention. The different features of the embodiments can be used in combination with and used with other embodiments as long as the combined parts are not inconsistent with or interfere with the operation of the device and assembly. This invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments herein are capable of being modified, practiced or carried out in various ways. The phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of "including," "comprising," or "having" and variations thereof herein is to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless limited otherwise, the terms "connected," "coupled," and "mounted," and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings, and mountings. In addition, the terms "connected" and "coupled" and variations thereof are not limited to physical or mechanical connections or couplings. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms used herein should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of this specification and the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. Further, terms such as distal, proximal, up, down, bottom, and top are relative, and are to aid illustration, but are not limiting. Relative terms such as "below" or "above" or "upper" or "lower" or "horizontal" or "vertical" may be used herein to describe a relationship of one element to another element as illustrated in the Figures. It will be understood that these terms and those discussed above are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to the orientation depicted in the Figures. The embodiments are not intended to be mutually exclusive so that the features of one embodiment can be combined with other embodiments as long as they do not contradict each other. Terms of degree, such as “substantially”, “about” and “approximately” are understood by those skilled in the art to refer to reasonable ranges around and including the given value and ranges outside the given value, for example, general tolerances associated with manufacturing, assembly, and use of the embodiments. The term “substantially” when referring to a structure or characteristic includes the characteristic that is mostly or entirely present in the structure. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For simplification, the parts or elements of one embodiment which are found identically or similarly in the other embodiment will be identified using the same numerical references and will not be described again.

[0064] With reference to Figures 1 -2 is shown a wearable injection device 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The wearable injection device 1 is configured to be attached to a patient, for instance to the patient’s skin, in order to inject, at a predetermined time, a medical product contained within the wearable injection device 1. In Figure 1 , the injection device 1 is shown in an initial (unactivated) state. In Figure 2, the injection device 1 is shown in an activated state in which a catheter 32 is deployed outside the injection device 1 .

[0065] With reference to Figure 3, the injection device 1 includes a housing 2 formed by a shell 20 and a base 21 , and a patch 22 for attaching the base 21 to the patient’s skin. The injection device 1 may further include various components such as a reservoir 11 in the form of a flexible bag for containing the medical product, a catheter insertion mechanism 3 fluidly connected to the reservoir 11 and configured for inserting a flexible catheter 32 into an injection site in order to deliver the medical product. The reservoir 1 1 may have a volume capacity of 10 to 50 mL. The injection device 1 may further include a pump 12 and a motor 13 for moving the medical product from the reservoir 11 to the injection site, a manifold (not shown) for distributing fluid from an inlet port to the reservoir 11 or from the reservoir 11 to the catheter insertion mechanism 3, a filling port 15 for filling the reservoir, prior to use, with the drug contained in a syringe, a battery 16 and an electronic system 17 for controlling the injection device 1 and for triggering automatic injection of a volume of the medical product at a predetermined time and at a predetermined flow rate. Tubes 18 may fludily connect the inlet port to filling port 15, the filling port 15 to the reservoir 11 or the inlet port to the pump 12, and the pump 12 to the catheter insertion mechanism 3. Fluid passageways (not shown) may also be provided in the base 21 and may therefore participate to the fluidic path. The injection device 1 may further include a manual activation button 30 for allowing a user, such as a nurse, to manually trigger insertion of the catheter 32 into the injection site, so that the injection device 1 is activated, and a security cap 19 for preventing access to the manual button 30 during the storage period before use of the injection device 1 , thereby preventing inadvertent activation of the injection device 1 and thus inadvertent deployment of the catheter 32. In the activated state, the activation button 30 may stay depressed as illustrated in Figure 2.

[0066] The injection device 1 may be divided into a connectable electonic module and a fluidic module which are connectable to each other. The fluidic module may be configured for allowing delivery of medical products having a viscosity ranging from 1 to 50 centipoise (1 to 50 mPa.s).

[0067] A kit may be formed by adding a prefilled syringe to the injection device 1 . The prefilled syringe contains the medical product that will fill the reservoir 1 1 of the injection device 1 . At the clinic or the hospital, the nurse opens the kit, and uses the prefilled syringe to transfer the medical product to the reservoir 11 of the injection device 1 via the inlet port. After that, the nurse uses the patch 22 of the injection device 1 to attach the injection device 1 to the patient’s skin. The nurse removes the security cap 19 and presses the manual button 30 to cause deployement of the catheter into the injection site. This action may also trigger a countdown of for instance several hours before injection by the electronic system 17. The patient may go home, and when the countdown is over, the electronic system 17 triggers injection, that is transfer of the medical product from the reservoir 11 to the injection site via the catheter 32. The electronic system 17 also warns the patient at the start and / or at the end of the injection operation. When injection is complete, the patient can remove the injection device 1 from his / her skin and throw it in a sharps container or any appropriate waste container.

[0068] Sterility of the fluidic module is maintained by means of a sealing member 4 arranged at the outlet of the fluidic path, i.e. around the catheter 32 as will be described below.

[0069] With reference to Figures 4 and 5 is shown the catheter insertion mechanism 3. The catheter insertion mechanism 3 is configured for inserting the catheter 32 into the injection site upon activation of the injection device 1 , i.e. when the user presses the manual button 30. The catheter insertion mechanism 3 is also configured for transferring the medical product from the reservoir 11 to the injection site, via a fluidic chamber 5 and the catheter 32. The catheter insertion mechanism 3 thus belongs to the fluidic module.

[0070] The catheter insertion mechanism 3 may include the button 30, a casing 33 including a top casing 330 and a bottom casing 331 , a fluidic chamber 5, a catheter 32, a needle 34 extending along a longitudinal axis A, a needle holder 35, a septum 36 (Figure 8A), biasing means such one or more springs 37, and a sealing member 4 for sealing the catheter 32. The sealing member 4 is configured for maintaining sterility of the catheter insertion mechanism 3 before use. The sealing member 4 is axially removable and has to be removed before use of the injection device 1 , as will be explained in further details below.

[0071] The button 30 is configured for activating the injection device 1 , i.e. for deploying the catheter 32 into the injection site. To that end, the button 30 has a pushing surface 31 for axially abutting against the fluidic chamber 5. The button 30 is axially movable along the longitudinal axis A between an initial (deployed) position and an activated (retracted) position. As said earlier, movement of the button 30 is caused by the user, such as the healthcare worker or the patient. The needle 34, Figure 6, is configured for pricking the patient’s skin and therefore allowing extension of the catheter 32 through the patient’s skin. The needle 34 may initially extend within the catheter 32. The needle 34 is rigid. For instance, the needle 34 is metallic. The needle 34 may or may not define a fluid passageway for allowing the medical product to flow from the reservoir 11 to the catheter 32. When the needle 34 has a fluid passageway, the needle 34 may remain at least partially inserted inside the catheter 32 after activation. When the needle 34 is a full shank needle, i.e. devoid of any fluid passageway, the needle 34 may retract outside the catheter 32 to allow the medical product to enter the catheter 32. The needle 34 is axially movable together with the needle holder 35 between an initial position, Figure 8A, in which the needle 34 fully extends inside the catheter insertion mechanism 3, a pricking position, distally located with respect to the initial position (not shown), in which the needle 34 is deployed outside the catheter insertion mechanism 3 to penetrate into the injection site, and a post-activated position, Figure 8B, proximally located with respect to the pricking position, in which the needle 34 is retracted back inside the catheter insertion mechanism 3. Movement of the needle 34 and needle holder 35 in the distal direction is caused by the user pressing the button 30. Movement of the needle 34 and needle holder 35 in the opposite direction is caused by the biasing means which may be formed by the two springs 37 lodged in the bottom casing 331 .

[0072] The fluidic chamber 5 has a lateral wall and a distal wall 50, Figure 6, which define an inner cavity configured for circulation of fluid from the reservoir 11 towards the catheter 32. The septum is placed within the fluidic chamber 5. The fluidic chamber 5 includes an inlet opening 52, Figure 7, allowing entry of the medical product inside the inner cavity. A supporting arm 53 may radially protrude from the inlet opening 52 and may define a recess 530 for receiving and supporting the flexible tube 18 that conveys the medical product from the pump 12 to the inlet opening 52 of the fluidic chamber 5. The supporting arm 53 extends through a camming slot 332, Figure 4, arranged through a lateral wall of the bottom casing. The camming slot 332 prevents rotation of the fluidic chamber 5 when the fluidic chamber 5 is in the initial position. The fluidic chamber 5 also serves to push the needle holder 35 towards the pricking position, and then to release the needle holder 35 so that the needle 34 can retract back inside the catheter insertion mechanism 3. The fluidic chamber 5 supports the catheter 32 and is configured for guiding the medical product coming from the reservoir 11 to a fluid passageway of the catheter 32. The fluidic chamber 5 is axially movable with respect to the bottom casing 331 between an initial position, Figure 8A, in which the catheter 32 extends inside the casing 33, and an activated position, Figure 8B, distally located with respect to the initial position, in which the catheter 32 deploys outside the casing 33 and into the injection site. Movement of the fluidic chamber 5 from the initial position to the activated position is caused by the pushing surface 31 of the button 30 pressing against the fluidic chamber 5 when the button 30 is being depressed to the activated position. Unlike the needle holder 35 and the needle 34, the fluidic chamber 5 stays in the activated position and the catheter 32 stays deployed into the injection site after the activation of the injection device 1. The catheter 32 may be made of a flexible material.

[0073] The fluidic chamber 5 also includes a detent 54, Figure 7, configured for axially abutting against the needle holder 35 so that movement of the fluidic chamber 5 towards the activated position causes movement of the needle holder 35 towards the pricking position. The fluidic chamber 5 is rotatable with respect to the bottom casing 331 and the needle holder 35 (which cannot rotate), between a blocking position, in which the detent 54 abuts against the needle holder 35, and a release position, in which the detent 54 is away from the axial path of the needle holder 35 so that the needle holder 35 can move back in the proximal direction towards the post-activated position under the pressure of the springs 37. Rotation of the fluidic chamber 5 at the end of the pricking operation is caused by the camming slot 332 acting on the supporting arm 53 of the fluidic chamber 5.

[0074] As illustrated in Figure 6, the fluidic chamber 5 has a connecting portion 55. The connecting portion 55 is configured for allowing connection of the removable sealing member 4 to the fluidic chamber 5. The connecting portion 55 may distally protrude from a distal wall 50 of the fluidic chamber 5, and may extend around a proximal end of the catheter 32. As illustrated in Figure 8A, the connecting portion 55 defines an inner conduit for allowing extension of the catheter 32 therethrough, and a sealing surface 550 arranged on the distal wall 50 of the connecting portion 55 for engaging a complementary sealing surface 43 of the sealing member 4.

[0075] More details about the operation of the catheter insertion mechanism 3 are disclosed in the patent document US10737038B2.

[0076] Figures 9 to 13 illustrate an injection device 1 according to a first embodiment.

[0077] With reference to Figure 13, the connecting portion 55 of the fluidic chamber 5 may include a fastener 56 for allowing removable attachment of the sealing member 4 to the fluidic chamber 5. The fastener 56 is configured for engaging a complementarily shaped fastener 47, Figure 12, of the sealing member 4. The fastener 56 may be in the form of a helical groove arranged on an outer lateral surface of the connecting portion 55.

[0078] Figures 10 to 12 illustrate the sealing member 4. The sealing member 4 is arranged at the end of the fluidic module, i.e. downstream of the fluidic path, to keep sterility of the fluidic module until use of the injection device 1 . The sealing member 4 is configured to be rotationally attached and rotationally removed from the injection device 1 , and more specifically from the fluidic chamber 5.

[0079] The sealing member 4 may be in the form of a rigid, semi-rigid, or flexible cap configured for closing the fluidic chamber 5 all around the catheter 32. The cap thus defines an inner cavity adapted to receive the catheter 32. An opening 41 is arranged at a proximal end 40 of the cap to allow insertion of the catheter 32 and of the connecting portion 55 of the fluidic chamber 5 within the inner cavity. This opening 41 may be the sole opening of the inner cavity which is otherwised closed to maintain sterility. The proximal end 40 of the cap defines a proximal stop 42 extending around the opening 41 and configured for axially abutting against the distal wall 50 of the fluidic chamber 5 in order to stop assembly of the cap to the connecting portion 55. The cap is received within the casing 33 and is thus configured to be inserted through a distal opening 336, Figure 10A, of the bottom casing 331. The cap may distally taper, and may have the shape of a truncated cone. The sealing member 4 is rotationally movable with respect to the fluidic chamber 5 between a sealing position, Figure 10, and a detached position, Figure 12. In the sealing position, the sealing member 4 keeps sterility of the outlet of the fluidic module, said outlet being formed by the catheter 32. In the detached position, the sealing member 4 is away from the fluidic chamber 5 so that the injection device 1 can be used. Rotation of the sealing member 4 is caused by the user. The sealing member 4 may include a sealing surface 401 , a fastener 47 for securing the sealing member 4 to the fluidic chamber 5, and a remover 6 for allowing a user to remove the sealing member 4 from the fluidic chamber 5.

[0080] The sealing surface 401 is configured for maintaining sterility inside the sealing member 4. To that end, the sealing surface is configured for engaging, i.e. axially pressing against the sealing surface, i.e. the distal wall 550, of the fluidic chamber 5, thereby defining axial sealing surfaces. The sealing surface 401 may be arranged at the proximal end 40 of the sealing member 4, and more specifically at the proximal stop 42. The sealing surface circonferentially extends all around the central longitudinal axis A. The sealing surface may be provided with a seal 48, which may be lodged in a peripheral groove 402 of the proximal end 40, Figure 11 , and which may be configured to be received in a peripheral groove 552 of the sealing surface 550 of the fluidic chamber 5 when the sealing member 4 is attached to the fluidic chamber 5.

[0081] The seal 48 may be in the form of an O-ring sandwiched between the proximal end 40 of the sealing member 4 and the distal wall 50 of the fluidic chamber 5. The seal 48 may be fixedly attached to the sealing member 4. In other embodiments, the seal 48 may be fixedly attached to the sealing surface 550 of the fluidic chamber 5. For instance, the seal 48 may be overmolded, glued, or otherwise mechanically fixed to the sealing member 4 or the fluidic chamber 5. The seal 48 and the sealing member 4 may form a single part. Therefore, the sealing member 4 may be made of a single material which is soft enough to deform when attached to the fluidic chamber 5 so as to keep sterility, and meanwhile which is rigid enough to transmit and resist the torque exerted by the user when the sealing member 4 is being removed. The sealing member 4 and the seal 48 may be made for instance of silicone, polyurethane (PU) or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). In other embodiments, the seal 48 and the sealing member 4 may be made of two distinct parts. In such a case, the seal 48 may be made of a soft material such as, for instance, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), silicone, or polyurethane (PU), although embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0082] The fastener 47 is configured for engaging a complementarily shaped fastener 56 of the fluidic chamber 5, i.e. the helical groove of the fluidic chamber 5. The fastener 56 of the fluidic chamber 5 and the fastener 47 of the sealing member 4 allow for axial compression of the sealing surfaces 401 , 550 and thus axial compression of the seal 48. The fastener 47 of the sealing member 4 may be in the form of a thread radially inwardly protruding from the inner surface of the proximal end 40 of the sealing member 4. The fastener 47 may be a single thread, i.e. forming a single helix, or a double thread, forming a double helix. A double thread allows to reduce the needed rotation of the sealing member 4 in order to remove the sealing member 4 from the fluidic chamber 5. The fastener 47 and the sealing member 4 may be made of a single piece. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the fastener 47 of the sealing member 4 may be a helical groove while the fastener 56 of the fluidic chamber 5 may be a thread.

[0083] The remover 6 is configured for being grasped by the user so that the user can rotate the sealing member 4 by rotating the remover 6. The remover 6 may include a proximal end 67 connected to the distal end 46 of the sealing member 4, a distal end 68 configured for extending outside the injection device 1 so that the user can grasp the remover 6, and a lateral wall 69 defining for instance two opposite flat surfaces 690 so that the user can easily apply a torque to the remover 6. The remover 6 and the sealing member 4 may here be made of a single piece, although embodiments are not limited thereto. The remover 6 may have an ellipsoidal or oblong shape.

[0084] The injection device 1 of the invention accordingly allows for removal of the sealing member 4 without axially pulling the fluidic chamber 5. The sealing member 4 is indeed rotationally secured to the fluidic chamber 5 so that detachment of the sealing member 4 from the fluidic chamber 5 only creates a torque on the fluidic chamber 5, without any vertical force. Indeed, a too high vertical force could otherwise overcome a snap feature 333, Figure 5, aimed at blocking distal movement of the fluidic chamber 5 before activation, and could move the fluidic chamber 5 distally and thereby inadvertently activating the injection device 1 .

[0085] Figures 14 to 18B illustrate the injection device 1 according to another embodiment. Instead of a threaded connection, the connection here is of a quarter-turn type.

[0086] For simplification, the parts or elements of one embodiment which are found identically or similarly in the other embodiment will be identified using the same numerical references and will not be described again. It is reminded that the embodiments are not intended to be mutually exclusive so that the features of one embodiment can be combined with other embodiments as long as they do not contradict each other. With reference to Figure 17, the connecting portion 55 of the fluidic chamber still includes a fastener 56, but the fastener 56 here is in the form of a lug radially protruding from the outer lateral surface of the connecting portion 55 to engage the complementarily shaped fastener 47 of the sealing member 4. The fastener 56 includes an inner end 560 fixed to the connecting portion 55 and an outer end 561 , which may have a rounded shape. The fastener 56, which may have a rectangular cross-section shape, may have one orthoradial abutment surface 562 for stopping rotation of the sealing member 4 with respect to the fluidic chamber 5, and two opposite axial abutment surfaces 563 for preventing axial movement of the sealing member 4 with respect to the fluidic chamber 5. The fluidic chamber 5 may include one or more, such as two diametrically opposite fasteners 56, although embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0087] With reference to Figures 15-16, the fastener 47 of the sealing member 4 may here be in the form of a groove shaped to receive the lug of the fluidic chamber 5. The groove includes an axial portion 470 and a circumferential portion 471 which may be perpendicular to the axial portion 470. The axial portion 470 has an opened proximal end 473 and a distal end 474 opening into the circumferential portion 471. The circumferential portion 471 has an inlet coinciding with the distal end 474 of the axial portion 470 and a closed end 475. The fastener 47 is arranged on the inner surface of the lateral wall of the sealing member 4. The proximal end 473 of the axial portion 470 opens at the proximal end 40 of the sealing member 4 to allow insertion of the lug of the connecting portion 55. The circumferential portion 471 of the groove may define an inner diameter D1 , Figure 18B, which may be constant or which may vary, for example by increasing, towards the axial portion 470, so that the friction, and therefore the traction force if any, decreases when detaching the sealing member 4. That is, the circumferential portion 471 may include an inner diameter D1 lower than the outer diameter D3 defined by the fasteners 56 of the fluidic chamber 5. The axial portion 470 may define an inner diameter D2 which may be constant, and which is preferably greater or equal to the outer diameter D3 of the fasteners 56 of the fluidic chamber 5 so that there is practically no resisting force when axially engaging or disengaging the sealing member 4 from the fluidic chamber 5. The fastener 47 may include a recess 476 arranged in the circumferential portion 471 to accommodate the complementarily shaped outer end 561 of the fastener 56 of the fluidic chamber 5. Thus, the engagement between the recess 476 of the sealing member 4 and the fastener 56 of the fluidic chamber 5 creates a hard point, a resistance, to avoid inadvertent rotation of the sealing member 4. Of course, the sealing member 4 may include one or more, such as for instance two diametrically opposite fasteners 47 like the fluidic chamber 5, although embodiments are not limited thereto. In other embodiment, it is contemplated that the groove may form the fastener 56 of the fluidic chamber 5 while the lug may form the fastener 47 of the sealing member 4. As illustrated in Figures 15-16, the seal 48 may include a notch 480 for allowing insertion or withdrawal of the lug of the fluidic chamber 5 into or outside the axial portion 470 of the groove of the sealing member 4. The notch 480 may be U-shaped and may axially coincide with the opened proximal end 473 of the axial portion 470 of the fastener of the sealing member 4. The seal 48 may include two diametrically opposite notches 480.

[0088] The remover 6 may here have a cylindrical shape, instead of an ellipsoidal or oblong shape.

[0089] The injection device 1 of the invention accordingly allows for removal of the sealing member 4 without axially pulling the fluidic chamber 5. The sealing member 4 is indeed rotationally secured to the fluidic chamber 5 so that detachment of the sealing member 4 from the fluidic chamber 5 only creates a torque on the fluidic chamber 5, without any vertical force that could otherwise move the fluidic chamber 5 distally and thus inadvertently activate the injection device 1 .

[0090] A method for removing the sealing member 4 of an injection device 1 according to the embodiment of Figures 9-13 or 10-18B is detailed below.

[0091] The user first grasps the remover 6 and turns it around the longitudinal axis A. Rotation of the remover 6 entails rotation of the sealing member 4 around the longitudinal axis A. The user goes on rotating the remover 6 together with the sealing member 4 until disengagement of the fasteners 47, 56. As a result, the sealing member 4 is detached from the fluidic chamber 5 while the fluidic chamber 5 remains in the initial position. The user then pulls the remover 6 in the distal direction. This causes the sealing member 4 to move distally until the sealing member 4 is outside the injection device 1 . The user can now discard the remover 6 together with the sealing member 4. The injection device 1 is ready to be used, i.e. to be attached to the patient’s skin and then to be activated by pressing the activation button 30.

[0092] Figures 19 to 23 illustrate the injection device 1 according to another embodiment. The connection between the sealing member 4 and the fluidic chamber 5 may be of the screw type or the quarter-turn type. However, instead of a remover 6 and a sealing member 4 made of a single piece, the remover 6 here is an extra part which is separate from the sealing member 4.

[0093] For simplification, the parts or elements of one embodiment which are found identically or similarly in the other embodiment will be identified using the same numerical references and will not be described again. It is reminded that the embodiments are not intended to be mutually exclusive so that the features of one embodiment can be combined with other embodiments as long as they do not contradict each other.

[0094] The sealing member 4 includes a proximal abutment surface 450 for axially abutting against the remover 6, such that distal movement of the remover 6 causes distal movement of the sealing member 4, and an orthoradial abutment surface 452 for orthoradially abutting against the remover 6, such that rotation of the remover 6 causesrotation of the sealing member 4. The sealing member 4 may further include a peripheral ring 45, an inclined surface 451 , an axial slot 453. The orthoradial abutment surface 452 is configured to be engaged by the remover 6 such that rotation of the remover 6 causes rotation of the sealing member 4. The orthoradial abutment surface 452 may be formed by a lateral side of the axial slot 453. The proximal abutment surface 450 is configured to allow the remover 6 to apply a distal force on the sealing member 4 such that the sealing member 4 can be pulled outside the injection device 1 . The proximal abutment surface 450 may be delimited at a proximal side of the peripheral ring 45. The peripheral ring 45 outwardly radially protrudes from the lateral wall of the sealing member 4, and includes a proximal side and an opposite distal side. The proximal side delimites the proximal abutment surface 450, while the distal side may delimit the inclined surface 451 . The peripheral ring 45 may be positioned closer to the distal end 46 than the proximal end 40 of the sealing member 4 and more specifically at or near the distal end 46 of the sealing member 4 to ease engagement with a grasper 603 of the remover 6. The peripheral ring 45 may extend all around the sealing member 4, except for the axial slots 453. The axial slot 453 is configured to receive a complementarily shaped axial rib 608 of the remover 6. The axial slot 453 has an opened proximal end and an opened distal end to let the remover 6 slide with respect to the sealing member 4. The axial slot 453 axially extends through the peripheral ring 45. The peripheral ring 45 may include one or more, such as for instance two diametrically opposite axial slots 453, although embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0095] With reference to Figure 21 , the remover 6 is configured for detaching the sealing member 4 from the fluidic chamber 5. The remover 6 may accomplish a two-step removal: rotation of the sealing member 4 first, then axial withdrawal of the sealing member 4. This permits to withdraw the sealing member 4 without applying a distal force on the fluidic chamber 5, thereby preventing activation of the injection device 1 . The remover 6 is rotationally fixed with respect to the sealing member 4, as will be described below, so that rotation of the remover 6 causes rotation of the sealing member 4. Rotation of the remover 6 is caused by the user. The remover 6 may be axially movable with respect to the sealing member 4 between an initial position, Figures 22-23, in which a distal abutment surface 604 of the remover 6 does not engage the proximal abutment surface 450 of the sealing member 4 and in which the abutment surfaces 450, 604 may thus be axially distant, separated by an axial gap g, and a removing position, not shown, distally located with respect to the initial position, in which the abutment surfaces 450, 604 of the sealing cap 4 and the remover 6 abut against each other, so that further distal movement of the remover 6 entails a corresponding distal movement of the sealing member 4. Movement of the remover 6 from the initial position to the removing position is caused by the user pulling the remover 6 in the distal direction. The remover 6 may include some or all of a carrier portion 66, a pulling portion 62, and a grasping portion 60.

[0096] Still with reference to Figure 21 , the carrier portion 66 is configured for supporting the pulling portion 62 and the grasping portion 60. The carrier portion 66 may be in the form of a T-shaped plate extending orthogonal to the longitudinal axis A. The carrier portion 66 includes a proximal side 660, a distal side 661 , a basement 662 supporting the grasping portion 60, and two C-shaped supporting arms 663 laterally extending from the basement 662 in order to support the pulling portion 62.

[0097] The pulling portion 62 is configured for being grasped and distally pulled out by the user. The pulling portion 62 may be in the form of a pulling ring 620 defining an opening allowing passage of a user’s finger. The pulling portion 62 includes two connecting arms 622 that extend parallel to each other and which define a U-shaped recess for accommodating the basement 662 of the carrier portion 66. The basement 662 and the pulling portion 62 thus delimit a U-shaped slot 624 allowing movement of the pulling portion 62 with respect to the carrier portion 66. At one end, the connecting arms 622 are secured to the pulling ring 620 while their opposite end is secured to the supporting arms 663 of the carrier portion 66 by means of a hinge 625 configured for allowing rotation of the pulling portion 62 with respect to the carrier portion 66. The hinge has a thinner width than the width of the supporting arms 663 and / or the connecting arms 622, and may be delimited by one or two opposite radial grooves 626 which extend perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis A. That is, the hinges 625 longitudinally extend perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis A so that the pulling ring 620, when pulled by the user, is axially aligned with the longitudinal axis A. It is contemplated that the connecting arms 663 have a stop surface 664 configured to stop rotation of the pulling ring by radially abutting against a corresponding stop surface 623 defined at one end of the supporting arms 663 of the carrier portion 66. The hinges 625 may be axially located closer to a proximal side of the pulling portion 62 and the carrier portion 66 than to their distal side so as to increase the area of the stop surface 664. The pulling portion 62 is thus rotationally movable with respect to the carrier portion 66 between a storing position, Figure 21 , in which the pulling ring 620 may extend orthogonal to the longitudinal axis A, and a pulling position (not shown), in which the pulling ring 620 may vertically extend along, parallel to the longitduinal axis A. In the pulling position, the pulling ring 620 is thus axially aligned with the grasping portion 60 so that the effort exerted by the user on the pulling portion 62 is efficiently transmitted to the grasping portion 60, and therefore to the sealing member 4. Rotation of the pulling portion 62 from the storing position to the pulling portion 62 is caused by the user.

[0098] The grasping portion 60 is configured for rotating the sealing member 4 with respect to the fluidic chamber 5 and for subsequently moving the sealing member 4 in the distal direction when the remover 6 is pulled by the user. Therefore, the sealing member 4 is withdrawn from the catheter insertion mechanism 3. The grasping portion 60 is designed to pass through the through-opening and of the base 21 and to penetrate inside the casing 33 of the catheter insertion mechanism 3 to be able to engage the sealing member 4. The grasping portion 60 includes one or more, preferably two diametrically opposite and axially extending legs 600 having a distal end connected to the distal side 661 of the carrier portion 66 and a proximal end provided with a grasper 603 which may be in the form of an inwardly radially extending protrusion defining a distal abutment surface 604 configured to axially abut against the peripheral ring 45 of the sealing member 4. The axially extending legs 600 may be resilient so as to radially outwardly deform in order to pass over the peripheral ring 45 of the sealing member 4 when the remover 6 is assembled to the injection device 1 . The axially extending legs 600 delimit between them a recess 605 configured to at least partially accommodate the sealing member 4. The remover 6 includes two graspers 603, although embodiments are not limited thereto. Instead of distal abutment surfaces 604, the graspers 603 could include teeth for pricking into the sealing member 4, friction surfaces for radially abutting against the sealing member 4, or any other means for distally moving the sealing cap 4 together with the remover 6 when the remover 6 is pulled away from the injection device 1 by the user.

[0099] The grasping portion further includes a rotator 608 in the form of an axial rib configured for rotating the sealing member 4 when the remover 6 is itself rotated by the user. To that end, the rotator 608 is configured for engaging a complementarily shaped rotator of the sealing member 4 formed by the axial slot 453. The rotator 608 of the grasping portion 60 includes a proximal end which may be connected to the distal abutment surface 604 such that the grasper is T-shaped, and an opposite distal end. A crest of the axial rib 608 may define a slanted wall 609, such that the rotator has a proximally decreasing height hi . The rotator 608 is arranged on the axially extending leg 600 and inwardly protrudes from an inner surface of said axially extending leg 600, inside the recess 605. The rotator 608 is distally located with respect to the distal abutment surface 604. The rotator 608 includes an orthoradial abutment surface 610 configured for orthoradially abutting against the orthoradial abutment surface 452 of the sealing member 4 so that rotation of the grasping portion around the longitudinal axis A causes rotation of the sealing member 4 with respect to the fluidic chamber 5. The orthoradial abutment surface 610 is delimited by a lateral side of the axial rib forming the rotator 608. The remover 6 includes one or more, such as for instance two diametrically opposite rotators 608, although embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0100] A method for removing the sealing member 4 of an injection device 1 according to the embodiment of Figures 19-23 is detailed below. The user may first grasp the pulling portion 62 of the remover 6 and moves it to the pulling position (not shown). The user turns the remover 6 around the longitudinal axis A. Due to the abutment between the orthoradial abutment surfaces 452, 610, the rotation of the remover 6 entails rotation of the sealing member 4 around the longitudinal axis A. The user goes on rotating the remover 6 together with the sealing member 4 until disengagement of the fasteners 47, 56 of the sealing member 4 and of the fluidic chamber 5. As a result, the sealing member 4 is detached from the fluidic chamber 5. No axial force has been exerted on the fluidic chamber 5 which therefore remains in the initial position. The user then pulls the remover 6 in the distal direction. Due to the axial gap g, the remover 6 first moves alone from the initial position towards the removing position. When the distal abutment surface 604 of the remover 6 abuts against the proximal abutment surface 450 of the sealing member 4, further distal movement of the remover 6 causes the sealing member 4 to move distally until the sealing member 4 is totally removed from the injection device 1 . The user can now discard the remover 6 together with the sealing member 4. The injection device 1 is ready to be used, i.e. to be attached to the patient’s skin and then to be activated by pressing the activation button 30.

[0101] Figures 24-25 illustrate the injection device 1 according to another embodiment. The connection between the sealing member 4 and the fluidic chamber 5 may be of the screw type or the quarter-turn type. The remover 6 and the sealing member 4 may be made of a single piece, or may be two distinct components.

[0102] As illustrated in Figure 24, the patch 22 includes an adhesive layer 220 allowing attachment of the injection device 1 to the injection site, such as the patient’s skin, and a liner 221 configured to protect the adhesive layer 220 before use of the injection device 1. The adhesive layer 220 may be fixedly attached, for example glued or hot sealed, to the base 21 of the injection device 1. The adhesive layer 220 defines an opening for allowing passage of the sealing member 4. The liner 221 is configured to be peeled off before attachment of the injection device 1 to the patient’s skin. The liner has a distal side, an opposite proximal side, and defines an opening which is smaller than the opening of the adhesive layer 220 so that removal of the sealing member 4 entails removal of the liner from the adhesive layer 220, but not removal of the adhesive layer 220.

[0103] The sealing member 4 or the remover 6 may include a peeling surface 49, 611 configured for abutting against the liner 221 during removal of the sealing member 4 from the injection device 1 , such that this removal entails removal of the liner 221 from the adhesive layer 220 of the patch 22. In an embodiment, Figure 24, the peeling surface 49 may be arranged at a distal side of a peripheral ring which may be located at the proximal end 40 of the sealing member 4. In another embodiment, Figure 25, the peeling surface 611 may be arranged at a distal side of the axially extending leg 600 of the remover 6. The peeling surface 49, 611 is configured for abutting against the proximal side of the liner 221 only after detachment of the sealing member 4 from the fluidic chamber 5, that is after rotation of the sealing member 4, when the sealing member 4 is being moved in the distal direction to be withdrawn from the catheter insertion mechanism 3.

[0104] Therefore, the operation of peeling off the liner 221 is automatic and simultaneous to the removal of the sealing member 4. The user does not need to perform a separate, additional operation. A gap is initially provided between the liner 221 and the sealing member 4 and between the liner 221 and the remover 6 so that rotation of the sealing member 4 together with the remover 6 does not cause rotation of the liner 221 . It is only when the sealing member 4 is completely detached from the fluidic chamber 5, and moved axially with respect to the fluidic chamber 5 to be withdrawn from the injection device 1 , that the sealing member 4 or the remover 6 axially abuts against a proximal side of the liner 221 , thereby removing the liner 221 from the adhesive layer 220. The gap may include a proximal gap g1 between the liner 221 and the sealing member 4 or the grasping portion 60 of the remover 6, a distal gap g2 between the liner 221 and the remover 6 (Figure 24) or between the liner 221 and the carrier portion 66 of the remover 6 (Figure 25), and a circumferential gap g3 around a portion that connects the remover 6 to the sealing member 4 (Figure 24) or that connects the carrier portion 66 to the grasping portion 60 of the remover 6 (Figure 25).

[0105] The operation of removing the sealing member 4 of an injection device 1 according to the embodiment of Figures 24-25 is similar to the one described in connection with the previous embodiments, except that the axial withdrawal of the sealing member 4 outside the injection device 1 is accompanied with a simultaneous removal of the liner 221 from the adhesive layer 220.

[0106] It is readily understandable from the above description that the injection device 1 of the invention allows for removal of a sealing member 4, without axially pulling the fluidic chamber 5, and therefore without risk that the injection device 1 be activated. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings; rather, the skilled person will recognize that many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Injection device (1) including: a housing (2) containing a reservoir (11) for storing a predetermined volume of a medical product, a patch (22) arranged on the housing (2) for allowing attachment of the injection device (1) to an injection site, a fluidic chamber (5) configured for fluidly connecting the reservoir (11) to a catheter (32), the fluidic chamber (5) being axially movable together with the catheter (32) between an initial position and an activated position, distally located with respect to the initial position, in which the catheter (32) is deployed outside the housing (2) in order to penetrate into the injection site, and a sealing member (4), removably attached to the fluidic chamber (5) and arranged around the catheter (32) for maintaining sterility, the sealing member (4) being rotatably attached to the fluidic chamber (5), and a remover (6) configured to be grasped by a user and to transmit a torque to the sealing member (4) such that rotation of the remover (6) by the user causes rotation of the sealing member (4) with respect to the fluidic chamber (5) in order to remove the sealing member (4).

2. Injection device (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the sealing member (4) and the fluidic chamber (5) include axial sealing surfaces (401 , 550) configured to axially abut against each other.

3. Injection device (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the injection device (1) includes a seal (48) sandwiched between the axial sealing surfaces (401 , 550).

4. Injection device (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the seal (48) is fixed to the sealing member (4).

5. Injection device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the sealing member (4) is rotatably attached to the fluidic chamber (5) by means of a thread.

6. Injection device (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the thread is a double thread.

7. Injection device (1) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 4, wherein the sealing member (4) is rotatably attached to the fluidic chamber (5) by means of quarter-turn fasteners (47, 56).

8. Injection device (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the quarter-turn fasteners (47, 56) include a groove (47) provided with an axial portion (470) and a circumferential portion (471), the axial portion (470) defining a constant inner diameter D2 and the circumferential portion (471) defining a varying inner diameter D1 .

9. Injection device (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the groove (47) includes a hard point configured for resisting detachment of the sealing member (4) from the fluidic chamber (5).

10. Injection device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the sealing member (4) and the remover (6) are made of a single piece.

11. Injection device (1) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 9, wherein the sealing member (4) and the remover (6) are two separate components.

12. Injection device (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the remover (6) includes an orthoradial abutment surface (610) configured for orthoradially abutting against a corresponding orthoradial abutment surface (452) of the sealing member (4) so that rotation of the remover (6) causes rotation of the sealing member (4).

13. Injection device (1) according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the remover (6) includes a distal abutment surface (604) configured to axially abut against a proximal abutment surface (450) of the sealing member (4), the distal abutment surface (604) and the proximal abutment surface (450) being axially distant in an initial position of the remover (6).

14. Injection device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the patch (22) includes a liner (221) configured to be peeled off when the sealing member (4) is removed from the injection device (1).

15. Method for removing the sealing member (4) of an injection device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the method includes the following steps:(iii) in a first stage, rotating the remover (6) in order to cause rotation of the sealing member (4) with respect to the fluidic chamber (5) ;(iv) in a second stage, after detachment of the sealing member (4) from the fluidic chamber (5), axially pulling the remover (6) to axially withdraw the sealing member (4) from the injection device (1).

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