The invention relates to a fragrance cartridge for arrangement on a filter element in a vehicle ventilation system, having a base member which has at least one elongate, projecting fixing element which can extend through an opening of the filter element. The invention further relates to a subassembly having such a fragrance cartridge and a filter element.

Systems are known from the prior art in order to supply different fragrances to the interior of a motor vehicle via the ventilation system. FR2825949 A discloses, for example, a system in which a cartridge having a fragrance may be introduced into a special holder in the ventilation system. The fragrance cartridge can thus discharge its content to the air which flows through the ventilation device. Furthermore, FR2833532 A discloses a system in which the cartridge is arranged in a separate bypass channel which can be opened if the vehicle interior is intended to be supplied with a fragrance .

However, those ventilation arrangements require that the fragrance function already be provided at the installation or planning of the ventilation and/or air conditioning system so that corresponding holders or channels are already present. It is further very complex to change the cartridges.

In order also to be able to retrofit such a fragrance function in existing vehicles and to allow simple exchange of the cartridges, there are known from the prior art fragrance cartridges which can be fixed to a filter element of the vehicle ventilation system. Those fragrance cartridges have a base member which has at least one projecting fixing element which is pushed through the material of the filter element. The fixing element therefore extends through an opening of the filter element so that no separate holders have to be provided .

However, the fixing of the filter element is not sufficiently ensured by those fixing elements. As a result of vibrations or impacts occurring during vehicle operation, it may be the case that the fixing elements slip out of the openings, whereby the fragrance cartridge is no longer fixed to the filter element .

An object of the invention is to provide a fragrance cartridge which allows simple and secure assembly in the vehicle, in particular on a filter element. Another object of the invention is to provide a subassembly having a filter element and such a fragrance cartridge. In order to achieve the object, in a fragrance cartridge for arrangement on a filter element in a vehicle ventilation system, having a base member which has at least one elongate, projecting fixing element which can extend through an opening of the filter element, there is provided at the tip thereof at least one widened portion which extends in the direction away from the base member, in particular in an arrow-like manner. That widened portion is arranged in such a manner that it is introduced through the opening during fitting on the filter element and is located in the assembled state on the rear of the filter element. Consequently, it is substantially harder to remove the fixing element and consequently the fragrance cartridge so that the fragrance cartridge is securely retained on the filter element. An arrow-like tip further facilitates the introduction of the filter element because the widening tip can readily puncture or displace the material of the filter. At least one barb is preferably provided on the widened portion and makes it harder to withdraw the fixing element through the opening. After the fragrance cartridge has been assembled on the filter element, that barb abuts at the rear the edge of the opening of the filter element so that the fixing element cannot be pulled out of the filter element. The widened portion can, for example, be formed by a solid portion of the fixing element. Alternatively, however, it is also possible for the widened portion to be formed by a web which is resiliently supported on the tip and which extends in the direction towards the base member. That web can resiliently give way when the fixing element is introduced into the opening of the filter element so that a smaller opening is sufficient for the fixing element. At the rear of the filter element, the web can resiliently move back into its initial position, in which the web further has the function of a barb.

In order to fix the fragrance cartridge to the filter element, one widened portion on the fixing element is sufficient. However, it is also conceivable for a plurality of widened portions which are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the fixing element to be provided on each fixing element. It is thereby possible, in addition to the fixing, also to position the fragrance cartridge more precisely on the filter element. The fragrance cartridge can be pushed until one or more of the widened portions is/are located at the rear of the filter element. In particular, it is also possible to have a fixing type in which a widened portion abuts the filter element at the front side and a widened portion abuts the filter element at the rear side so that the fragrance cartridge can also be fixed to the filter element with spacing therefrom.

In order to achieve the object, there is further provided a subassembly for arrangement in a vehicle ventilation system, having a fragrance cartridge according to the invention and a filter element, the at least one fixing element extending from a first side of the filter element through an opening in the filter element to the second side of the filter element. According to the invention, the widened portion is located in the assembled state at the second side of the filter element and prevents the fixing element from being withdrawn. The opening may already be provided, for example, in the filter element. However, it is also possible for the opening to be formed in the filter element only by the fixing element.

The filter element is folded together, for example, in the manner of an accordion, the fragrance cartridge being arranged between the folds of the filter element. This ensures that the fragrance cartridge cannot tilt away laterally so that better retention of the fragrance cartridge with respect to the filter element is ensured.

Other advantages and features will be appreciated from the following description in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a fragrance cartridge according to the invention,

Figure 2 shows a subassembly according to the invention having a fragrance cartridge and a filter element,

- Figure 3 is a detailed view of the fixing element of the fragrance cartridge from Figure 1, and

Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of a fixing element according to the invention, and - Figure 5 shows a third embodiment of a fixing element according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a fragrance cartridge 10 which has a base member 12 which is filled with a fragrant substance. There are provided on the base member 12 outlets 14, through which the fragrant substance can be discharged from the base member 12. Furthermore, elongate projecting fixing elements 16 are provided on the base member in order to fix the fragrance cartridge 10 to a filter element 18 (see Figure 2) .

The filter element comprises a fleece-like or paper ^¬ like material which is folded in an accordion-like manner and which has a first side 34 and a second side 36. In the subassembly 20 shown in Figure 2, the fragrance cartridge 10 is arranged at the first side 34 between the individual folds 22 of the filter element 18. In this position, a secure retention of the fragrance cartridge 10 is ensured because an additional support of the fragrance cartridge is brought about by the folds 22 of the filter element 18. However, the fragrance cartridge 10 can be freely positioned on the filter element 18 independently thereof.

For assembly, the fragrance cartridge 10 is positioned on the filter element 18 with the fixing elements 16 at the front between the folds 22. Openings 24 may already be provided in the filter element 18. It is also possible for the fixing elements 16 to puncture or to displace the material of the filter element 18 during positioning .

The fitting of the fragrance cartridge 10 to the filter element 18 affords the advantage over conventional systems that it is also possible to retrofit such a fragrance cartridge 10 to older vehicles which do not have any receiving member for a fragrance cartridge in the ventilation channel. It is simply necessary to have a filter element 18, to which the fragrance cartridge 10 can be fitted. As a result of the good accessibility of the filter element 18, simple exchange of the fragrance cartridge 10 is further possible, for example, together with the filter element 18.

In order to be sure that the fragrance cartridge is fixed in position on the filter element 18, the fixing elements 16 have at least one widened portion 28 at the tip 26 thereof.

The widened portion 28 is located at the second side 36 of the filter element 18 when the fragrance cartridge 10 is assembled. The widened portion 28 has a greater cross-section than the opening 24. Withdrawal of the fixing elements 16 from the filter element 18 is thereby prevented or at least made more difficult so that the fragrance cartridge 10 is securely retained on the filter element 18. Despite the relatively small openings 24, it is readily possible to assemble the fragrance cartridge 10 because the material of the filter element 18 can expand flexibly or can be displaced and the openings can contract again after the widened portion 28 has been passed through.

In order to be able to assemble the fragrance cartridge 10 on any filter element 18, that is to say, also on a filter element 18 in which no openings 24 are provided, the widened portion 28 is preferably constructed in an arrow-like manner (see also Figure 3) , as can be seen in particular in Figure 4. There is thereby produced an opening when the fixing element is inserted into the filter element 18, the material of the filter element being displaced or punctured by the arrow-like tip.

In order to further fix the fixing element in the filter element 18, there may be provided on the widened portion 28 at the rear side barbs 30 which prevent the widened portion from being withdrawn from the opening 24, or at least make it harder. A second embodiment of a fixing element is shown in Figure 4. In this embodiment, there are provided a plurality of widened portions 28 which are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction L of the fixing element 16 and which are formed as an arrow tip with barbs 30. It is thereby possible to push the fixing elements 16 to different extents onto the filter element 18 so that it is possible to fix the fragrance cartridge 10 to the filter element 18 in a play-free manner .

A third embodiment of the fixing elements 16 is shown in Figure 5. In this embodiment, the widened portion 28 comprises a web 32 which is resiliently supported on the tip of the fixing element 16 and which extends obliquely in the direction towards the base member 12, and which can flexibly give way during insertion into the opening 24 of the filter element 18. Once the widened portion 28 has reached the rear side of the filter element 18, the web 32 can resiliently return to the initial position thereof and further has the function of a barb in this position.

Irrespective of the embodiments set out here, the widened portion 28 may have any form which makes it more difficult to withdraw the fixing element 16 from the filter element 18.