Easy-opening solar collector having temperature-responsive mount for polymer absorber

A solar collector, comprising:

• a housing having a hollow interior;
• said housing including a transparent cover, a frame for holding said transparent cover, and a base;
• a polymer absorber disposed within said hollow interior between said transparent cover and said base;
• said frame having a square or rectangular structure formed by a pair of longitudinally extending, transversely spaced apart sidewalls and a pair of transversely disposed, longitudinally spaced apart end walls;
• said base having a mating structure formed by a pair of longitudinally extending, transversely spaced apart sidewalls and a pair of transversely disposed, longitudinally spaced apart end walls;
• said frame having a square or rectangular structure formed by a pair of longitudinally extending, transversely spaced apart sidewalls and a pair of transversely disposed, longitudinally spaced apart end walls;
• said base having a mating structure formed by a pair of longitudinally extending, transversely spaced apart sidewalls and a pair of transversely disposed, longitudinally spaced apart end walls;
• a first transversely disposed manifold secured to a first end of said polymer absorber;
• an aperture formed in a first end of each of said sidewalls of said frame;
• an aperture formed in a first end of each of said sidewalls of said base;
• said apertures formed in said frame and base being in axial alignment with one another;
• said apertures pivotally receiving opposite ends of said first manifold;
• whereby when said latches are in their respective open configurations, said collector is opened or closed by rotating said cover with respect to said frame about said first manifold.