Below-ground electric road truck housing, below-ground electric road truck, and method for locating a below-ground electric road truck along a road

Abstract

A housing (100) for a below-ground electric road truck (10) is proposed, configured to conductively supply power to a vehicle (20). The housing (100) comprises a lower plate (102) extending in a longitudinal direction (L), opposed lateral walls (104) projecting from the lower plate (102), and opposed lateral flanges (106) extending in the longitudinal direction (L) forming lateral projections providing anchoring of the housing (100) to a fixed mass (30) used to secure the housing (100) in a groove (42) of a roadway (40). Also proposed is a below-ground electric road truck (10) comprising such a housing (100), and a method for positioning the below-ground electric road truck (10) along a roadway.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the powering of vehicles by electric road trucks, and more particularly to a below-ground electric road truck housing, a below-ground electric road truck, and a method for locating a below-ground electric road truck along a roadway. [Background technology]

[0002] Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly common as traditional internal combustion engines are replaced or combined with electric motors to reduce reliance on fossil fuels in transportation, but there is an ongoing effort to provide the infrastructure necessary to reach the level of service currently offered to internal combustion engine-powered vehicles.

[0003] For example, while refueling a gasoline or diesel-powered vehicle takes just a few minutes, recharging the battery of a corresponding electric vehicle can take as long as 40 or 50 minutes, depending on the capacity of the battery and the charging station, which is also still less common than regular gas stations.

[0004] However, to avoid the need to stop electric vehicles to charge, various types of on-the-go charging methods have been developed. Powering a vehicle while it is in motion not only improves its range, but also reduces the weight of the vehicle by requiring less battery capacity.

[0005] One method is to provide overhead conductors along the road from which vehicles can collect power, but this method is usually only suitable for a single type of vehicle, most commonly heavy goods vehicles or buses.

[0006] Another approach is the electric road track, which is attached to the road surface and allows vehicles to collect power conductively or inductively. Electric road tracks have many advantages over overhead power lines and are more versatile, as they can be used with virtually any vehicle. However, they are technically challenging because they are exposed to vehicular wear and road grime, and are within reach of pedestrians, raising various safety concerns. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a below-ground electric road truck housing, a below-ground electric road truck, and a method for locating a below-ground electric road truck in a road groove that ameliorates some of the problems associated with prior art methods.

[0008] In order to achieve at least one of the above objects, as well as other objects that will become apparent from the following description, there is provided, according to the teachings of this specification, a housing having the features defined in claim 1. Preferred embodiments of this device will become apparent from the dependent claims.

[0009] More particularly, in a first aspect, a housing for a below-ground electric road truck is provided, the below-ground electric road truck being configured to conductively supply electrical power to a vehicle. The housing includes a longitudinally extending lower plate, opposed longitudinally extending lateral walls projecting from the lower plate, and opposed longitudinally extending lateral flanges forming lateral protrusions that provide anchoring of the housing to a fixed mass used to secure the housing within a roadway groove. By providing the lateral flanges, the housing provides a strong foundation and anchoring of the below-ground electric road truck to a roadway.

[0010] The opposing lateral walls may each include a longitudinally extending lateral step such that an upper portion of each lateral wall is laterally displaced outward relative to a lower portion of each lateral wall. The lateral steps, which provide support for the contact line structure, may be provided with corresponding lateral flanges configured to be disposed within the housing and which may be disposed in spaces formed by the lateral steps on the opposing lateral walls. Additionally, the lateral steps provide a hollow space between the opposing lateral flanges and the lateral steps that may be filled with a fixed mass, thereby providing additional force to secure the housing within the groove.

[0011] In a second aspect, a below-ground electric road track is provided that is configured to conductively supply power to a vehicle. The below-ground electric road track includes a housing according to the first aspect, configured to extend along the below-ground electric road track and be positioned within a groove formed in a roadway; a contact line structure extending along the housing, where a power collector of the vehicle is configured to conductively draw power from the below-ground electric road track via the contact line structure, the contact line structure being positioned within the housing; and a plurality of clamps configured to clamp the contact line structure to the housing to form a plurality of friction joints between the housing and the contact line structure. The below-ground electric road track is positioned flush with the upper surface of the roadway, providing an electric road track that does not create any obstructions to, for example, snowplows or other vehicles. Providing a housing that is fixed within the roadway groove and a separate contact line structure that includes electronics for power transmission and is clamped thereto facilitates maintenance and assembly of the below-ground electric road track. For example, a broken contact line structure can be easily released by unclamping, lifted from the housing, and then accepted by a new or repaired contact line structure, allowing for rapid repair and reduced downtime. Additionally, the friction joint between the contact line structure and the housing allows for some relative movement in the longitudinal direction, which is advantageous because the two parts may be affected to different degrees by, for example, temperature-related elongation. Additionally, each housing may include more than one contact line structure.

[0012] The plurality of housings may be arranged one after the other along the length of the below-ground electric road track. The below-ground electric road track may further comprise a drain pipe arranged below the lower plate of the plurality of housings, the drain pipe having an inlet arranged at the joint between the plurality of housings. Thus, water entering the below-ground electric road track can be collected at the joint where it can be drained by the drain pipe to a desired drain outlet.

[0013] The below-ground electric road truck may further comprise a fixed mass that fills the space between the housing and the groove formed in the roadway such that the housing is fixedly positioned within the groove.

[0014] The fixed mass may include a lower portion filling the space between the lower plate of the housing and the bottom of the groove and surrounding opposing lateral flanges of the housing, and an upper portion filling the space between each opposing lateral wall of the housing and each lateral wall of the groove, the upper portion being disposed above the lower portion.

[0015] The composition of the fixed mass in the upper portion may be different from the composition of the fixed mass in the lower portion. This allows the fixed mass to adapt to the different environments to which the upper and lower portions are exposed. A different composition in the upper portion may be selected, for example, for environments where extreme heat / cold temperatures are expected.

[0016] The composition of the fixed mass at the top may be softer than the composition of the fixed mass at the bottom. Having a softer composition of the fixed mass at the top provides an improved sealing function to prevent water from entering the groove or space between the fixed mass and the housing. Additionally, the soft top of the fixed mass allows the low-to-ground electric road track to withstand wear created by vehicles traveling above or on the low-to-ground electric road track.

[0017] The below ground electric road track may further comprise an electrical insulating layer arranged between the housing and the contact line structure, the electrical insulating layer reducing the risk of electrical currents being generated from the contact line structure to the housing.

[0018] According to a third aspect, there is provided a method for arranging a low-to-ground electric road truck along a roadway, the method comprising: positioning a housing of the low-to-ground electric road truck in a trench formed in a roadway of the road so that a space is formed between a lower plate of the housing and a bottom of the trench, and between opposing side walls of the housing and each side wall of the trench; and filling the space with a fixed mass.

[0019] Filling the space with the fixed masses may include filling a lower portion of the space between the lower plate of the housing and the bottom of the groove, the lower portion surrounding the lateral flanges extending longitudinally to form lateral protrusions that provide anchoring to the housing, with a fixed mass of a first composition, and filling an upper portion of the space between each opposing lateral wall of the housing and each lateral wall of the groove, with a fixed mass of a second composition, the upper portion being disposed above the lower portion, and the second composition of the fixed masses in the upper portion being different from the first composition of the fixed masses in the lower portion. The lower portion of the fixed mass extends over and surrounds the opposing lateral flanges to strongly anchor the housing in the groove, while the upper portion of the fixed mass is provided with a composition having properties suitable for the current environment in which the electric road truck will be placed below ground level, for example, to reduce the risk of water seepage into the groove.

[0020] The method may further include disposing a contact line structure on a below-ground electric road track within the housing, wherein a power collector of the vehicle is configured to conductively draw power from the below-ground electric road track through the contact line structure, and clamping the contact line structure to the housing using a plurality of clamps to form a plurality of friction joints between the housing and the contact line structure.

[0021] The method may further include disposing an electrical insulating layer between the housing and the contact line structure.

[0022] The method may further include arranging a plurality of housings one after the other along a longitudinal direction of the electric road truck below ground level, and arranging a drain pipe below lower plates of the plurality of housings, the drain pipe having an inlet disposed at a joint between the plurality of housings.

[0023] In general, all terms used in the claims should be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the art unless expressly defined herein. All references to "a / an / the [element, device, component, means, step, etc.]" should be openly interpreted as referring to at least one instance of the element, device, component, means, step, etc., unless expressly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless expressly stated otherwise. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] The above and additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be better understood through the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like elements and in which: [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a low-to-ground electric road truck. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the housing of a low-to-ground electric road truck. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the housing of a low-to-ground electric road truck. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a clamp for a low-to-ground electric road truck. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the contact line structure of a low-to-ground electric road truck. [Figure 6]FIG. 6 shows a cross section of a low-to-ground electric road truck. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 shows a cross section of a low-to-ground electric road truck. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 shows a cross section of a low-to-ground electric road truck. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 shows a cross section of a low-to-ground electric road truck. [Figure 10a] Figure 10a shows how an electric road truck can be positioned below ground level along a road. [Figure 10b] Figure 10b shows how an electric road truck can be positioned below ground level along a road. [Figure 10c] Figure 10c shows how an electric road truck can be positioned below ground level along a road. [Figure 10d] Figure 10d shows how an electric road truck can be positioned below ground level along a road. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0025] The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which presently preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. However, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided for completeness and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0026] 1 shows a below-ground electric road truck 10 configured to conductively supply power to a vehicle 20. While the vehicle 20 is illustrated as a car, the present teachings may also be applied to electric road trucks 10 for other vehicles, such as trucks and buses. A below-ground electric road truck 10 should be considered an electric road truck 10 configured to be positioned so as to be substantially flush with the surrounding surface of the roadway 40 to which it is attached.

[0027] The vehicle 20 may be provided with one or more power collectors 22; three are shown, although other numbers are possible. The power collectors 22 are configured to be positioned in contact with the electric road truck 10 below ground level, more particularly in contact with its contact line structure 200 (shown in FIG. 5 ). The power collectors 22 may be positioned on the underside 24 of the vehicle 20.

[0028] The below-ground electric road truck 10 includes a housing 100, shown in cross section in Figure 2. The housing 100 is configured to receive the contact line structures 200 so that the contact line structures 200 can be easily removed from the housing 100, for example for maintenance or replacement thereof. More than one contact line structure 200 may be disposed in each housing 100.

[0029] The housing 100 may be made from a corrosion-resistant metal or metal alloy, such as aluminum or stainless steel. Other materials, such as polymeric or composite materials, are also contemplated. The housing 100 is preferably integrally formed, for example, by an extrusion manufacturing process. The housing 100 is configured to be positioned within a groove 42 (shown in FIGS. 6-8 ) formed in the roadway 40. The housing 100 includes a lower plate 102 extending in a longitudinal direction L, which extends along the length of the housing 100 and the roadway 40.

[0030] The housing 100 further includes opposing lateral walls 104 projecting upwardly from the lower plate 102 and extending in the longitudinal direction L. Opposing lateral flanges 106 are also provided on the housing 100, extending in the longitudinal direction L and forming lateral protrusions that anchor the housing 100 to a fixed mass 30 used to secure the housing 100 within the groove 42 of the roadway 40. The flanges 106 may have a height of between 3 mm and 8 mm, preferably about 5 mm. Furthermore, the flanges 106 may project laterally from a lower portion 110 of each opposing lateral wall 104 by between 5 mm and 15 mm, preferably about 10 mm. The lower portion 110 of each opposing lateral wall 104 is the portion adjacent to and connected to the lower plate 102.

[0031] The opposing lateral flanges 106 may be configured to project laterally beyond each top 108 of the opposing lateral walls 104. The opposing lateral flanges 106 disposed on the fixed mass 30 provide a secure and robust connection that secures the housing 100 within the groove 42 of the roadway 40.

[0032] 2, the opposing lateral walls 104 may each include a lateral step 112 extending in the longitudinal direction L such that the upper portion 108 of each lateral wall 104 is laterally displaced outward relative to the lower portion 110 of each lateral wall 104. The lateral steps 112 may form support surfaces that provide longitudinal support to the contact line structures 200, which may be provided with corresponding opposing lateral flanges 202 configured to be positioned directly or indirectly relative to the lateral steps 112. In this context, indirectly refers to when the electrical insulation layer 70 is positioned over the contact line structures 200.

[0033] 3-5, which show perspective views of embodiments of the housing 100, clamps 50, and contact line structure 200. In FIG. 3, a segment of the housing 100 is shown. The housing 100 may be provided with a plurality of recesses 114, each configured to receive a respective clamp 50.

[0034] The clamps 50 are configured to clamp the contact line structure 200 to the housing 100 to form a plurality of friction joints between the housing 100 and the contact line structure 200. Each friction joint is strong enough to hold the contact line structure 200 within the housing 100, but may allow some relative movement of the contact line structure 200 in the longitudinal direction L with respect to the housing 100. The contact line structure 200, which forms a housing that holds electrical components for transmitting power from the electric road truck 10 below ground level to the vehicle 20, is exposed to the environment and is therefore more subject to elongation / expansion due to temperature changes than the housing 100, while the housing 100 is disposed within the grooves 42 and is exposed to different temperatures. The friction joints formed by the clamps 50 will be able to accommodate such relative movement / elongation / expansion between the contact line structure 200 and the housing 100.

[0035] Clamp 50 includes a body portion 52 configured to be disposed in a recess 114 formed in an upper portion 108 of opposing lateral wall 104. Clamp 50 may be configured to be attached to recess 114 by one or more fasteners, such as screws.

[0036] However, the clamp 50 may be implemented in other forms and may be attached to a housing 100 that does not include a recess 114. For example, a flat clamp 50 is contemplated that is attached to the upper portion 108 of each opposing lateral wall 104 and configured to clamp the contact line structure 200 to the housing 100.

[0037] Additionally, the clamp 50 may be configured to mount to the housing 100 on a lateral step 112 in the upper portion 108 of each opposing lateral wall 104, which does not require forming any recess 114 in the housing 100 to receive the clamp 50.

[0038] The contact line structure 200 may be provided with a plurality of recesses 208 configured to cooperate with each clamp 50 to clamp the contact line structure 200 to the housing 100. Each clamp may be provided with a lateral protrusion 54 configured to be disposed in each recess 208 of the contact line structure 200. To allow longitudinal movement of the contact line structure 200 relative to the housing 100, the recesses 208 of the contact line structure 200 may have an extension in the longitudinal direction L that is greater than the longitudinal extension of the lateral protrusions 54 on each clamp 50.

[0039] The clamp 50 is preferably made from a non-conductive material, such as a polymeric material, to avoid electrical conduction from the contact line structure 200 to the housing 100 .

[0040] Although only two recesses 114, 208 are shown in the housing 100 and the contact line structure 200, respectively, it should be understood that multiple recesses 114, 208 may be formed along the length of the housing 100 and the contact line structure 200, respectively.

[0041] The contact line structure 200, which is referred to as being configured to receive an electrical component for transmission of power to the vehicle 20, may include one or more channels 212. The channels 212 may be configured to hold electrical conductors, such as copper conductors or other electrical components. Additionally, the contact line structure 200 may include recesses 210 extending in the longitudinal direction L and into which multiple segments of contact line (not shown) may be placed, the segments being configured for the power collector(s) 22 of the vehicle 20 to draw power from.

[0042] Preferably, the contact line structure 200 is fabricated from the same material as the housing 100, i.e., a corrosion-resistant metal or metal alloy such as aluminum or stainless steel. Other materials, such as polymeric or composite materials, are also contemplated. The contact line structure 200 is preferably integrally formed, for example, in an extrusion manufacturing process.

[0043] The upper surface 206 of the contact line structure 206 is configured to be positioned substantially flush with the surface of the surrounding roadway 40. The lower surface 204 of the contact line structure 200 is configured to be positioned in direct or indirect contact with the lower plate 102 of the housing 100.

[0044] Proceeding to Figure 6, which shows in cross section a below-ground electric road truck 10 positioned within a groove 42 of a roadway 40. The groove 40 may be larger than the housing 100, as shown in Figure 6. This makes it easier to fill the space 44 between the groove 42 and the housing 100 with a fixed mass 30 intended to surround the outside of the housing 100.

[0045] Preferably, the width of groove 42 is 2 cm to 5 cm greater than the width of housing 100. The depth of groove 42 is preferably 1 cm to 2 cm greater than the corresponding height of housing 100.

[0046] The fixed mass 30 is preferably a bituminous fixed mass that can be liquefied, for example by heating, poured into the groove 42, cooled and solidified around the housing 100, and fixed within the groove 42.

[0047] The fixed mass 30 may include a lower portion 32 that fills the lower space 44 a between the lower plate 102 of the housing 100 and the bottom 46 of the groove 42 and surrounds the opposing lateral flanges 106 of the housing 100 .

[0048] The fixed mass 30 may further include an upper portion 34 that fills an upper space 44b between each opposing lateral wall 104 of the housing 100 and each lateral wall 48 of the groove 42. The upper portion 34 may comprise the uppermost 30 mm to 10 mm, preferably about 20 mm, of the fixed mass 30.

[0049] The composition of the fixed mass 30 in the upper portion 34 may be different from the composition of the fixed mass 30 in the lower portion 32, such that the fixed mass 30 in the upper portion 34 is preferably softer and more resilient than the fixed mass 30 in the lower portion 32. The more flexible upper portion 34 of the fixed mass 30 makes it easier to accommodate movement due to thermal expansion / elongation in the below-ground electric road truck 10 and also reduces the risk of water getting into the grooves 42. The composition of the fixed mass 30 in the upper portion 34 may further be adapted to the environment in which the below-ground electric road truck 10 is located.

[0050] The housings 100 may be arranged one after the other along the longitudinal direction L of the below-ground electric road track 10, for example, in a long groove 42 formed in the roadway 40. As shown in FIG. 7, the below-ground electric road track 10 may include a drain pipe 60 arranged below the lower plate 102 of the housings 100. The drain pipe 60 may be a silicone tube formed in the fixed mass 30 below the lower plate 102 of the housings 100. The drain pipe 60 is configured to drain excess water that reaches the housings 100, the contact line structure 200, or the lower space 44a below the housings 100. As shown in FIG. 9, the drain pipe 60 may have an inlet 62 for this purpose arranged at a joint between the housings 100 at a position where water can collect and be drained by the drain pipe 60. Thus, water entering the below-ground electric road track 10 can be directed to the joint 12 between the housings 100 or to one end of the below-ground electric road track 10, from where it can enter the drain pipe 60.

[0051] Naturally, therefore, the drain 60 may also be provided with one or more outlets through which water can be discharged, for example to a storm water drain.

[0052] 8, an electrical insulating layer 70 may be disposed between the housing 100 and the contact line structure 200. The electrical insulating layer 70 may be formed from a suitable electrical insulating material, preferably a flexible and durable material, such as an elastomer and / or polymer material, such as rubber or silicone.

[0053] The electrical insulating layer 70 provides electrical isolation between the housing 100 and the contact line structure 200 .

[0054] Proceeding now to Figures 10a-10d, which illustrate steps 1002, 1004, 1004a, 1004b of a method 1000 for positioning a below-ground electric road truck 10 along a roadway. In Figure 10a, positioning 1002 of the housing 100 of the below-ground electric road truck 10 in a groove 42 formed in a roadway 40 of a road is shown. The housing 100 is positioned 1002 so that a space 44 is formed between the lower plate 102 of the housing 100 and the bottom 46 of the groove 42, and between opposing lateral walls 104 of the housing 100 and each lateral wall 48 of the groove 42. To this end, one or more holders (not shown) may be provided to support and hold the housing 100 in a desired position within the groove 42.

[0055] Once the housing 100 is in the desired position, the method 1000 further includes filling 1004 the space 44 with a retainer mass 30, shown in FIG. 10b. The retainer mass 30, which is preferably a bituminous retainer mass 30, is preferably heated so that it liquefies. The retainer mass 30 may then be poured into the space 44 within the groove 42 until it fills the space 44 and is flush with the top surface of the roadway 40. The retainer mass 30 then cools and hardens, locking the housing 100 in place and the holder may be removed.

[0056] 10c and 10d, the retainer mass 30 may comprise a lower portion 32 and an upper portion 34. Accordingly, the filling step 1004 may include filling 1004a the lower portion 32, which fills the space 44a between the lower plate 102 of the housing 100 and the bottom 46 of the groove 44 and surrounds the opposing lateral flanges of the housing 100, as shown in FIG. 10c. The lower portion 32 of the retainer mass 32 may then optionally be allowed to at least partially cool and solidify, after which the method 1000 may further include filling 1004a the upper portion 34, which fills the space 44b between each opposing lateral wall 104 of the housing 100 and each lateral wall 48 of the groove 42. Accordingly, the upper portion 34 of the retainer mass 30 may be provided with different material properties than the lower portion 32, which may be desirable because they serve somewhat different purposes. The lower portion 32 provides most of the bonding force between the housing 100 and the groove 42, and therefore should have a composition that makes the fixed mass 30 therein relatively stiff and strong. The upper portion 34 is exposed to weather and wear from vehicles traveling on the road, and therefore may have the fixed mass 30 with a softer material composition that better seals against water and allows more movement without releasing from the groove 42. The upper portion 34 is preferably configured to be substantially flush with the surrounding top surface of the roadway 40.

[0057] Additionally, the method 1000 may further include placing the drain pipe 60 in the groove 42 below the lower plate 102 of the housing 100, as shown in FIGS.

[0058] The method 1000 may further include disposing the contact line structure 200 in the housing 100, where the contact line structure 200 may optionally be pre-provided with an electrical insulating layer 70, as shown in Figure 8. The contact line structure 200 may then be clamped to the housing 100 by a plurality of clamps 50, whereby several friction joints are formed between the contact line structure 200 and the housing 100.

[0059] It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown, and therefore, modifications and variations are contemplated within the scope of the present invention, which is defined exclusively by the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A housing for a below-ground electric road truck configured to conductively supply power to a vehicle, comprising: a longitudinally extending lower plate, Opposed lateral walls projecting from the lower plate and extending in the longitudinal direction; and Opposed lateral flanges extending in the longitudinal direction define lateral projections that provide anchoring of the housing to a fixed mass used to secure the housing within a roadway channel. Equipped with the opposing flanges protrude from lower portions of the opposing lateral walls, and the lower portions of the opposing lateral walls are adjacent to and connected to a lower plate; The opposing lateral walls each include a lateral step extending in the longitudinal direction such that an upper portion of each lateral wall is laterally displaced outward relative to a lower portion of each lateral wall.

2. 2. The housing of claim 1, wherein each of said opposing side flanges projects laterally beyond said respective top portions of said opposing lateral walls.

3. 1. A low-to-ground electric road truck configured to conductively supply power to a vehicle, comprising:

10. The housing of claim 1, configured to extend along the below-ground electric road track and be disposed within a groove formed in a roadway. a contact line structure extending along the housing, the contact line structure being disposed within the housing, the contact line structure being configured so that a power collector of the vehicle conductively draws power from the below-ground electric road track through the contact line structure; and a plurality of clamps configured to clamp the contact line structure to the housing to form a plurality of friction joints between the housing and the contact line structure; A low-to-the-ground electric road truck equipped with

4. a plurality of housings arranged one after the other along the longitudinal direction of the below-ground electric road truck; a drain pipe disposed below the lower plate of the plurality of housings; The below-ground electric road truck of claim 3 , wherein the drain pipe includes an inlet located at a joint between the housings.

5. 4. The below-ground electric road truck of claim 3, further comprising a fixed mass filling a space between the housing and the groove formed in the roadway such that the housing is fixedly positioned within the groove.

6. The fixed mass is a lower portion of the housing that fills the space between the lower plate and the bottom of the groove and surrounds the opposing lateral flanges of the housing; and an upper portion filling a space between each of the opposing side walls of the housing and each of the side walls of the groove; Equipped with The below-ground electric road truck of claim 5 , wherein the upper portion is disposed above the lower portion.

7. 7. The below-ground electric road truck of claim 6, wherein the composition of the fixed mass in the upper portion is different from the composition of the fixed mass in the lower portion.

8. 8. The below-ground electric road truck of claim 7, wherein the composition of the fixed mass in the upper portion is softer than the composition of the fixed mass in the lower portion.

9. The below-ground electric road truck of claim 3 further comprising an electrical insulating layer disposed between the housing and the contact line structure.

10. 1. A method for positioning a low-to-ground electric road truck along a roadway, comprising: Positioning a housing of the electric road truck below ground level in a groove formed in a roadway of the road, such that a space is formed between a lower plate of the housing and a bottom of the groove, and between opposing side walls of the housing and each side wall of the groove; and filling the space with a liquefied solid mass by injecting the solid mass into the space; and disposing a contact line structure of the below-ground electric road track within the housing, wherein a vehicle power collector is configured to conductively draw power from the below-ground electric road track via the contact line structure; and clamping the contact line structure to the housing using a plurality of clamps to form a plurality of friction joints between the housing and the contact line structure; The method further comprises:

11. filling the space with a fixed mass; filling a lower portion of the housing with a fixed mass of a first composition surrounding opposed lateral flanges that fill a space between the lower plate of the housing and the bottom of the groove and extend longitudinally to form lateral projections that provide anchoring with the housing; and filling an upper portion of the space between the opposing side walls of the housing and the side walls of the groove with a fixed mass of a second composition; Including, the upper portion is disposed above the lower portion; the second composition of the fixed mass in the upper portion is different from the first composition of the fixed mass in the lower portion; The method of claim 10.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second composition of the fixed mass in the upper portion is softer than the first composition of the fixed mass in the lower portion.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising disposing an electrical insulating layer between the housing and the contact line structure.

14. sequentially disposing a plurality of housings along the length of the below-ground electric road truck; and disposing a drain pipe beneath the lower plate of the plurality of housings, the drain pipe having an inlet disposed at a joint between the plurality of housings; The method of claim 10 further comprising:

15. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the solid mass is a bituminous solid mass.

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