Vehicle door handle

An exterior door handle assembly mounted to a door of a vehicle, said exterior door handle assembly comprising:

• a base portion mountable to the vehicle door so as to be at an exterior portion of the vehicle door and at an exterior side of the vehicle;
• a handle portion configured to pivotally attach to the vehicle door and pivotable between an initial position, where said handle portion is positioned generally along the exterior portion of the vehicle door, and an actuating position, where said handle portion is pivoted away from the exterior portion of the vehicle door;
• and
• a lever portion pivotally mounted to said base portion and pivotable about a pivot axis, said lever portion including an engaging arm, a connector arm and a counterweight, said connector arm connecting to a release mechanism of the vehicle door;
• wherein a substantial portion of said counterweight is disposed laterally outboard of said pivot axis and at least partially within said base portion and at least partially external of the exterior portion of the vehicle door when said handle portion is in said initial position so that said counterweight functions to pivot said lever portion toward a non-opening position to limit opening of the vehicle door during a collision or sudden stop of the vehicle;
• and
• wherein said engaging arm is engaged by said handle portion and pivotally moved by said handle portion as said handle portion is moved between said initial position and said actuating position, and wherein pivotal movement of said handle portion toward said actuating position imparts pivotal movement of said engaging arm which in turn imparts pivotal movement of said connector arm about said pivot axis to actuate the release mechanism of the vehicle door.