Patent ID: 7419455

Claim:
An apparatus for preventing roll back of a vehicle in which the vehicle includes a clutch ( 30 ) for supplying a drive torque to a transmission ( 2 ), the apparatus comprising: a vehicle braking system ( 18 ) including a vehicle brake pressure modifying apparatus ( 20 ) for controlling braking of wheels of the vehicle; a transmission brake ( 8 , 8 ′) located within the transmission ( 2 ) for braking a drive train of the transmission ( 2 ) when activated; a movement detection device ( 28 , 34 , 36 ) for detecting an initiation of a movement of the vehicle and the movement detection device including at least one of: a clutch direction sensor responsive to a directionally dependent clutch motion exceeding a predetermined clutch adjustment path limit; a clutch torque sensor responsive to a transmitted clutch torque exceeding a predetermined clutch movement limit; a direction of rotation sensor detecting a direction of rotation in a transmission input drive train; a speed of rotation sensor detecting a rotational speed of a transmission output drive shaft; a direction of wheel rotation signal from an anti-locking braking system; and a brake control apparatus ( 16 ) controlling operation of both the vehicle braking system ( 18 ) and the transmission brake ( 8 , 8 ′), the brake control apparatus ( 16 ) being responsive to operation of the clutch ( 30 ) and operation of the movement detection device ( 28 , 34 , 36 ) for engaging the transmission brake ( 8 , 8 ′) to prevent backrolling of the vehicle when the clutch ( 30 ) is disengaged and the movement detection device ( 28 , 34 , 36 ) indicates that the vehicle is at least one of at standstill and at near standstill; and engaging the clutch ( 30 ) to provide the drive torque to the transmission ( 2 ); detecting by operation of a movement detection device ( 24 , 34 , 36 ) when the clutch ( 30 ) is sufficiently engaged for the drive torque transmitted through the clutch ( 30 ) to the transmission ( 2 ) to prevent backrolling of the vehicle; and disengaging the transmission brake ( 8 , 8 ′) after engagement of the clutch ( 30 ) to allow the drive torque through the transmission ( 2 ) to cause movement of the vehicle.