Patent ID: 7431357

Claim:
An exterior door handle assembly ( 100 ) which when activated is able to move a remotely located latch to an open position, the assembly ( 100 ) comprising: a first and second body member ( 102 , 140 ) for attachment to an exterior surface of a vehicle door; the first body member ( 102 ) being secured to the exterior of the vehicle door by a connecting member ( 110 ) and being positioned linearly adjacent to and movable relative to the second body member ( 140 ) from the rest position to an active position, the first body member having an end ( 118 ) including a depending lift mechanism ( 120 ), the depending lift mechanism ( 120 ) passes through an access opening ( 152 ) in an end ( 150 ) of the second body member ( 140 ) the end ( 118 ) of the first body member ( 102 ) overlapping the end ( 150 ) of the second body member in the rest position, the second body member having a hollow cavity ( 142 ); a rotatable member which is a bell crank is operatively connected to the lifting mechanism at a first crank lever of the bell crank and movable therewith, the bell crank ( 180 ) is also connected to the remotely located latch via a connecting link, attached to a second crank lever of the bell crank, the bell crank is rotatable about a first axis, wherein the first axis is located in the hollow cavity and is exterior of the vehicle door and wherein the first crank lever and second crank lever extend through the hollow cavity of the second body member wherein the first and second body members lie along a first linear axis and wherein the axis of rotation of the bell crank is perpendicular to the first linear axis; wherein the bell crank is generally U-shaped having the second crank lever ( 184 ) opposite the first crank lever ( 182 ) and wherein a counterweight is located between on or integral to a first leg portion ( 184 a ) of the second crank lever ( 184 ), the first leg portion ( 184 a ) being parallel to the first crank lever ( 182 ).