Solar energy collector panel

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the first form of solar energy collector constructed in accordance with the present invention.
The collector 10 includes a housing referred to in general by the reference numeral 12 and it may be seen from FIGS.
1 and 2 of the drawings that the housing 12 includes opposite longitudinal side members 14 and 16 and opposite end inlet and outlet manifolds 18 and 20, see FIG.
2.
The side members 14 and 16 may be suitable interconnected in any convenient manner (not shown) at points spaced therealong intermediate their opposite ends and the housing 12 includes a rear insulative filler panel 22 which extends between the side member 14 and 16 a spaced distance rearward of the front open side of the housing 12 defined between the side members 14 and 16 forward of the panel 22.
The panel 22 may be constructed of any suitable insulative material such as urethane foam plastic or fiberglass and the open front of the housing 12 is closed by a transparent panel 24 of suitable material extending between the side members 14 and 16 and held captive beneath inturned flanges 26 carried by the forward edge portions of the side members 14 and 16.
The solar energy collector additionally includes a plurality of longitudinal side-by-side elongated panel sections 28 and 30 of substantially identical construction.
The panel sections 28 and 30 each include a generally planar panel 32 having integral transversely spaced and longitudinally extending parallel tube defining sections 34 supported therefrom.
In addition, the opposite longitudinal edges of the panel sections 28 include inverted J-shaped flanges 36 while the longitudinal edges of the panel sections 32 include inverted J-shaped flanges 38.
The J-shaped flanges 38 include latch flanges 40 which are not included on the J-shaped flanges 36 and the J-shaped flanges 38 are larger than the flanges 36 and embracingly receive the latter therein in order to lock the panel sections 28 and 30 together in side-by-side alternating relation