Roof-mounted solar collector device

A passive solar collector device adapted to be mounted in operative position on the roof of a building having an interior air space beneath the roof and a vent opening through the roof in fluid communication with the interior air space,

• (a) a solar collector panel comprising an elongated solar collecting chamber having opposite end portions and opposite side portions and an uninsulated thermal-conductive bottom wall of pre-determined substantial area,
• (b) means for conducting a heat transfer fluid through said collecting chamber in heat-transfer relationship with said bottom wall, including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet,
• (c) an uninsulated thermal-conductive bearing plate beneath, and at least co-extensive with, said bottom wall, said bearing plate being adapted to seat flush against, and in thermal-conductive relationship with, a portion of a roof upon which the solar collector device is mounted in operative position, (d) thermally conductive end members spaced apart longitudinally of and fixed to said bearing plate, and in thermal-conductive relationship between said bottom wall and said bearing plate, said end members supporting said solar collector panel in spaced relationship above said bearing plate and said bottom wall,
• (e) an air inlet port extending through said bearing plate and adapted to register with the vent opening through the roof, when the solar collector device is mounted in its operative position upon the roof, said air inlet port being in fluid communication between said air space and the interior air space beneath the roof,
• (f) opposed side openings between the respective side portions of said bottom wall and said bearing plate and between said end members in open fluid communication with said air space to permit the free passage of ambient air transversely through said air space and across said air inlet port, so that air in said air space is in heat transfer relationship with said bottom wall, said bearing plate and said end members, and is in fluid communication with the atmospheric air outside said solar collector panel and the interior air space beneath the roof, when the solar collector device is in said operative position.