JP2000296106A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide proper flexibility, impact resilience and follow-up performance by forming a flexible tube part in an inserting part to be inserted into a lumen, forming inserting holes in a plurality in this flexible tube part, and arranging an impact resilience strengthening part integrated with a tubular body having high impact resilience on an inner peripheral surface of at least one inserting hole. SOLUTION: A flexible tube part 4 is arranged in an inserting part of an endoscope to be inserted into a lumen, and a tip part is connected to the tip side of this flexible tube part 4 via a curved part. A flexible tube part body 26 is arranged in the flexible tube part 4, and an image pickup cable inserting hole 27 for inserting an image pickup cable 20, a light guide inserting hole and an angle wire inserting hole 28 are extended in this flexible tube part body 26. An impact resilience strengthening part 31 integrated with a spiral tube (a tubular body) 30 having high impact resilience is arranged on an inner peripheral surface of the image pickup cable inserting hole 27 of the flexible tube part body 26. Thus, impact resilience of the inserting part is improved by the high impact resilience of the spiral tube 30 of the impact resilience strengthening part 31.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope in which an elongated flexible tube made of resin is provided at an insertion portion inserted into a lumen.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, industrial endoscopes in the industrial field have been used for observing conditions inside pipes of boilers, chemical plants, and the like, and have been used for maintenance purposes such as collecting and inspecting deposits on pipe inner surfaces. Is also used. In the medical field, a medical endoscope is inserted into a body cavity, such as the stomach or intestine, to observe the surface of a living tissue in the body cavity, or to collect diseased pieces using forceps or the like, and to diagnose a treatment or the like. It's being used.

Further, an endoscope is provided with an elongated flexible tube at an insertion portion inserted into a lumen. A distal end component is connected to a distal end of the flexible tube via a curved portion. Then, the bending portion is operated to bend in an arbitrary direction by operating the operation portion on the hand side connected to the base end portion of the insertion portion, and the insertion portion can be directed in a desired direction.

By the way, as a flexible tube of a conventional endoscope,
For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 58-103431 discloses a configuration in which a thin spiral tube is covered with a wire netting, and an outer shell made of resin is coated thereon. The inside of the flexible tube for an endoscope is one large hollow. Then, in the hollow portion inside the flexible tube, there are an image guide fiber bundle, a light guide fiber bundle, an angle wire for bending the bending portion, which is a built-in component of the endoscope, and an outer sheath for the angle wire. In addition, in the case of an electronic endoscope, a signal from a solid-state imaging device provided at a distal end portion is transmitted to a hand-held image processing device in place of the image guide fiber bundle. Signal lines for transmission and reception are arranged.

Further, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-24323 discloses a flexible tube for an endoscope having a structure in which the inside is not hollow but integrally molded with resin or the like and is integrally filled with resin. .

[0006]

However, since the flexible tube of the endoscope disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-103431 is a hollow body, the mechanical strength of the flexible tube is relatively weak, and the flexible tube is less resistant to external force. Insufficient crushing strength.

In addition, in the configuration of the flexible tube of the endoscope described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-24323, the flexibility and the resilience of the resin forming the flexible tube make the flexible tube itself flexible. , The followability is determined. Here, for example, in order to insert the distal end of the endoscope into the deep part of the large intestine by passing through the bent part in the body cavity, or to insert the distal end of the endoscope into the deep part of the pipe,
The flexible tube needs to have appropriate flexibility and rebound resilience, and in order to direct the viewing direction to an appropriate position, in addition to the bending operation of the bending portion, twisting and pushing / pulling operations on the hand side are required. It is necessary to be able to follow the distal end of the insertion section of the endoscope.

However, in general, when a solid or hollow body of an endoscope flexible tube is formed of a resin, the flexibility and flexibility of the resin are changed by changing the hardness of the resin. Is relatively easy to adjust, but it is difficult to adjust the rebound resilience and followability of the flexible tube of the endoscope.
In particular, when the endoscope flexible tube is formed of a single resin, it is difficult to increase the resilience required for the endoscope.

Further, in the case where the inner diameter of the hollow portion of the flexible tube of the endoscope is small and the number of built-in components built in the hollow portion is small, if the flexibility of the flexible tube itself is low, the entire flexible tube is used. However, when the flexible tube itself has high flexibility, there is a problem that the entire flexible tube tends to be fragile.

[0010] In addition, in a solid or hollow endoscope flexible tube, even if a twisting operation is applied to one end side of the flexible tube,
Since the force of the twisting operation is often absorbed in the middle part of the solid body and the hollow body, there is a problem that it is difficult to transmit the twisting operation to the other end of the flexible tube and make it follow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an endoscope having a flexible tube which is resistant to crushing and has appropriate flexibility, resilience and followability. Is to provide.

[0012]

According to the present invention, a flexible tube portion made of resin is formed in an elongated insertion portion inserted into a lumen,
A plurality of insertion holes extending in the axial direction of the insertion portion are formed in the flexible tube portion, and a rebound resilience reinforcement in which a tubular body having high resilience is integrated on an inner peripheral surface of at least one of the insertion holes. An endoscope provided with a section.
In addition, the resilience of the insertion portion is improved by the tubular body having high resilience of the resilience enhancing portion, and the tubular body having high resilience is integrated with the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole of the flexible tube portion. This simplifies the manufacture of the endoscope.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4A and 4B. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of the entire endoscope 1 of the present embodiment. The endoscope 1 according to the present embodiment is provided with an elongated insertion section 2 inserted into a lumen, and an operation section 3 on the proximal side connected to a base end of the insertion section 2.

Further, the insertion portion 2 is provided with a long and thin flexible tube portion 4. A rigid distal end portion 6 is connected to a distal end side of the flexible tube portion 4 via a bending portion 5 that can be bent.

An operation knob 7 and a switch 8 for remotely operating the bending section 5 are mounted on the operation section 3 on the hand side, and one end of a universal cord 9 is connected thereto. A connector 1 connected to a light source device (not shown) is provided at the other end of the universal cord 9.
0 is linked. Further, the connector 10 has a CCD
One end of the cable 11 is connected. The other end of the CCD cable 11 is connected to a CCD connector 12 connected to an image processing device (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 2A, the distal end portion 6 is provided with a distal end portion main body 13 and a detachable cover portion 14 which is detachably attached to the distal end portion of the distal end portion main body 13. . Further, the detachable cover portion 14 is provided with an observation window 15 of the observation optical system and an illumination window 16 of the illumination optical system. Here, an objective optical system 17 is arranged on the observation window 15, and a distal end of a light guide 18 is arranged on the illumination window 16 so as to face each other. The objective optical system 17, the light guide 18, and the like are held by the distal end body 13.

The base end of the light guide 18 is connected to the connector 10 via the flexible tube 4, the operation unit 3 and the universal cord 9 in this order. Then, illumination light from a light source device (not shown) is incident on the light guide 18 via the connector 10. further,
The illumination light transmitted from the light guide 18 is the illumination window 1
6, the light is enlarged and emitted to the outside.

A solid-state image pickup device 19 such as a CCD is opposed to the objective optical system 17. One end of an imaging cable 20 is connected to the solid-state imaging device 19. The other end of the imaging cable 20 has a flexible tube 4, an operation unit 3, a universal cord 9, a connector 10 and a C
It is connected to a CCD connector 12 via a CD cable 11 sequentially. Then, at the time of endoscopic observation, an observation image within the visual field range is transmitted from the observation window 15 to the objective optical system 17,
An observation image is formed on the solid-state imaging device 19 by the objective optical system 17. Further, after this observation image is converted into an electric signal by the solid-state imaging device 19,
The image data is transmitted to an image processing device (not shown) via the CCD connector 12 by the imaging cable 20.

As shown in FIG. 2 (B), a plurality of annular node rings 21 are stacked in series in the axial direction of the insertion section 2 on the curved portion 5 so that the adjacent node rings 21 are brought into contact with each other. A group of articulated rings 22 is formed. Further, a bending portion network pipe 23 is disposed outside the node ring group 22, and the bending portion network pipe 23 is provided.
The outside of the tube 3 is further covered with a flexible tube 24 which is flexible.

The front end of the curved portion 5 is fixed to the rear end of the front end 6 by a fixing means such as bonding, screws, solder, welding, press fitting, or the like. Similarly, the rear end of the curved portion 5 is attached to the front end of the flexible tube portion 4 by bonding, screws, solder,
It is fixed by fixing means such as welding and press fitting.

Further, the node ring 21 on the most distal side of the curved portion 5,
Alternatively, a plurality of, and in the present embodiment, four, end portions of the four angle wires 25 are fixed to the end portion main body 13. The base ends of these angle wires 25 extend toward the operation unit 3 on the hand side. The operation unit 3 is provided with a bending operation mechanism (not shown) for pulling each angle wire 25 in accordance with the operation of the operation knob 7. Then, one or two of the angle wires 25 are pulled by the operation of the operation knob 7 via the bending operation mechanism, and the bending operation of the bending portion 5 is performed via the angle wire 25. Has become.

The flexible tube section 4 is configured as shown in FIG. That is, the flexible tube portion 4 of the present embodiment is provided with the flexible tube portion main body 26 made of resin. An imaging cable insertion hole 27 through which the imaging cable 20 is inserted into a substantially central portion side of the flexible tube portion main body 26, and a light guide 18.
The light guide insertion hole (not shown) for inserting the
Extending along the axial direction of Further, the number of the angle wires 25 is provided around the imaging cable insertion hole 27 and the light guide insertion hole. In the present embodiment, four angle wire insertion holes 28 extend along the axial direction of the insertion section 2.

Further, guide tubes 29 through which the angle wires 25 are inserted are inserted into the four angle wire insertion holes 28 of the flexible tube portion main body 26, respectively. Here, between the angle wire 25 and the guide tube 29, the angle wire 2
An appropriate clearance is provided so that 5 can be inserted smoothly. For example, the diameter (outer diameter) of the angle wire 25 is 0.36 mm, and the inner diameter of the guide tube 29 is 0.41 mm.
Set to about.

Further, a light guide 18 is inserted into a light guide insertion hole (not shown) of the flexible tube main body 26. Further, the imaging cable insertion hole 27 of the flexible tube portion main body 26 is provided.
Spiral tube (tubular body) 30 having high rebound resilience
Are provided.

As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 4A, the spiral tube 30 is formed by spirally winding a thin metal band, and has a higher rebound resilience than the flexible tube body 26 alone. Strong waist. The helical tube 30 has a smaller pitch, and the tighter the spiral tube 30, the stronger the rebound resilience and stiffness. Even when the width of the metal band is large, the rebound resilience improves. Further, the spiral tube 30 is formed of, for example, a cold-rolled stainless steel strip, a stainless steel strip for spring, or a phosphor bronze strip.

The flexible tube section main body 26 has a light guide insertion hole (not shown) and four angle wire insertion holes 2 (not shown).
8 and the spiral tube 30 of the imaging cable insertion hole 27.
Are integrally injection-molded. In this case, the synthetic resin material of the flexible tube portion main body 26 may be, for example, polyester, polyurethane, or a mixture of polyurethane and polyester.

The imaging cable 20 is inserted into the spiral tube 30 of the imaging cable insertion hole 27 of the flexible tube main body 26. Thereby, the imaging cable 20 having the spiral tube 30 as an exterior is provided. Furthermore, the flexible tube section main body 26
An outer net tube 32 formed by knitting a metal wire into a tubular shape is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the outer mesh tube 32.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.
When the endoscope 1 of the present embodiment is used, an industrial endoscope is inserted into an industrial conduit in the industrial field, and a medical endoscope is inserted into the stomach, intestine, etc. in the medical field. Inserted into the body cavity.

During the operation of inserting the insertion section 2 of the endoscope 1, the operation knob 7 of the operation section 3 is operated according to the shape of the insertion channel. At this time, one or two angle wires 25 are pulled by operating the operation knob 7 of the operation unit 3, and the bending portion 5 is
Is performed.

Here, the distal end 6 of the endoscope 1 is inserted into a deep part of the large intestine, for example, by passing through a bent portion in a body cavity, or the distal end 6 of the endoscope 1 is inserted into a deep part of an industrial pipeline. When inserting, the insertion portion 2 is further inserted in a state where the bending portion 5 is bent according to the shape of the insertion conduit. The flexible tube portion 4 is deformed in accordance with the shape of the insertion channel along with the insertion operation of the insertion portion 2. At this time, the spiral tube 30 having high rebound resilience at the center of the flexible tube portion 4 plays a role of a spine of the flexible tube portion 4. That is, when the flexible tube portion 4 is bent or looped as shown in FIG. 4B, a large repulsive force is generated from the spiral tube 30 having higher resilience than the portion of the flexible tube portion main body 26, The repulsive force of the spiral tube 30 causes the flexible tube portion 4
To return to a linear state. Thereby, the resilience of the flexible tube portion 4 itself can be increased.

Therefore, the above configuration has the following effects. That is, in the present embodiment, the resilience reinforcer 31 in which the spiral tube 30 having high resilience is integrated is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the imaging cable insertion hole 27 of the flexible tube main body 26 made of resin. Spiral tube 3 of elasticity reinforcement 31
The high rebound resilience of 0 can improve the rebound resilience of the insertion section 2. As a result, there is no member equivalent to the helical tube 30 of the present embodiment as in the prior art, and the imaging tube or the like is integrally formed in a state where the imaging cable or the like is inserted into the cable insertion hole of the flexible tube portion main body. Compared to the case where the part was formed,
Since the insertion portion 2 having a strong stiffness can be formed, the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 1 can be inserted to a deep portion such as a pipe.

Further, in the case of a soft insertion portion as in the conventional case, it takes time to insert the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 1, but the flexible tube portion 4 of the present embodiment has a poor insertion property. Since it is favorable, the endoscope inspection can be completed in a short time, and the burden on the operator can be reduced.

This is not limited to endoscopes in the industrial field,
A similar effect can be obtained with a medical endoscope. For example, in the colon test, when testing from the descending colon to the ascending colon,
When inserting the insertion section 2 of the endoscope 1, it is necessary to advance the insertion section 2 beyond the sigmoid colon having a relatively complicated shape. Therefore, in a weak insertion portion having a low rebound resilience as in the related art, it is difficult for the operation force on the operation portion side to be transmitted to the entire insertion portion, and it is difficult to perform a delicate adjustment such as dragging the S-shaped colon. On the other hand, as in the present embodiment, the rebound resilience of the insertion portion 2 is improved by the high rebound resilience of the spiral tube 30 of the rebound resilience reinforcing portion 31, the stiffness of the insertion portion 2 is improved, and the operation portion 3 side By facilitating the transmission of the operation force to the entire insertion section 2, it becomes possible to transmit a delicate adjustment on the hand side to the entire insertion section 2. Therefore, in the endoscope 1 according to the present embodiment, the insertability of the insertion section 2 is improved, which leads to a reduction in examination time.

Further, the imaging cable 20 is inserted into the spiral tube 30 which is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the imaging cable insertion hole 27 of the flexible tube main body 26, and is integrally formed with the flexible tube 4. Therefore, by providing a slight clearance between the spiral tube 30 and the imaging cable 20, if the imaging cable 20 is disconnected and needs to be replaced, only the imaging cable 20 is replaced with the flexible tube section. 4 and a new imaging cable 20 can be inserted into the spiral tube 30.
As a result, it is not necessary to replace the entire flexible tube portion 4 due to a failure caused by the imaging cable 20, and repair can be performed without cost.

In this case, since the outer diameter of the imaging cable 20 is usually about 1 to 2 mm, the spiral tube 30 slightly larger than the outer diameter, for example, the inner diameter is 1.1 mm.
The spiral tube 30 having a thickness of about 0.15 mm to 0.3 mm may be used.

Further, in the flexible tube portion 4 of the present embodiment, there is no need to insert a built-in member after the flexible tube portion is assembled, unlike a conventional flexible tube portion formed of a hollow body. The production of the flexible tube 4 can be simplified.

Further, in this embodiment, the resilience of the flexible tube portion 4 can be improved only by providing the spiral tube 30 on the inner peripheral surface of the imaging cable insertion hole 27 of the flexible tube portion main body 26 made of resin. The manufacture of the endoscope 1 can be simplified.

FIG. 5A shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the configuration of the flexible tube section 4 of the endoscope 1 of the first embodiment (see FIGS. 1 to 4A and 4B) is changed as follows. In addition,
The other parts have the same configuration as that of the first embodiment, and the same parts as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted here.

That is, in the first embodiment, a configuration is shown in which the guide tube 29 for inserting the angle wire 25 is provided in the four angle wire insertion holes 28 of the flexible tube portion main body 26. A helical tube 41 having the same configuration as the helical tube 30 of the first embodiment is integrated with the inner peripheral surfaces of the four angle wire insertion holes 28 in place of the guide tube 29 of the first embodiment. This is provided with a reinforcing portion 42.

In this embodiment, the flexible tube section main body 26 is provided.
The spiral tube 30 of the first embodiment is not particularly provided on the inner peripheral surface of the imaging cable insertion hole 27, and the imaging cable 20 is directly fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the imaging cable insertion hole 27. . Here, the imaging cable 20 and the helical tube 41 are injection-molded integrally with the flexible tube portion main body 26.

When the endoscope 1 of the present embodiment is used, when the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 1 is inserted into the insertion channel, the flexible tube portion 4 is deformed according to the shape of the insertion channel. Is done. At this time, the helical tube 41 having high rebound resilience on the inner peripheral surface of each angle wire insertion hole 28 of the flexible tube portion 4 plays a role of a spine of the flexible tube portion 4. That is, when the flexible tube portion 4 is bent or looped as shown in FIG.
A large repulsive force is generated from the spiral tube 41 having a higher rebound resilience than the portion 6, and the resilient force of the spiral tube 41 attempts to return the flexible tube portion 4 to a straight state. Thereby, the resilience of the flexible tube portion 4 itself can be increased.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the rebound resilience reinforcing portions 42 in which the spiral tubes 41 are integrated are provided on the inner peripheral surfaces of the angle wire insertion holes 28 of the angle wires 25 for the bending operation of the bending portion 5. And spiral tubes 41 for the number of angle wires 25. For example, in the case of two-way bending, 2
In the case of a four-way curve, there are four spiral tubes 41,
The resilience is higher than that of the flexible tube 4 of the first embodiment.

Further, since the angle wire 25 usually uses a wire having a diameter of about 0.3 to 0.7 mm, in this embodiment, it is sufficient to use a spiral tube 41 having a slightly larger inner diameter. For example, when the inner diameter is 0.4-0.
The helical tube 41 having a thickness of about 75 mm and a thickness of about 0.05 to 0.25 mm is used.

In this embodiment, the angle wire 2
By providing the spiral tube 41 for interpolating 5, the spiral tube 41 plays the role of the guide tube 29, so that the guide tube 29 becomes unnecessary, and it is not necessary to provide both the spiral tube 41 and the guide tube 29.
The portion that slides the angle wire 25 can be prevented from increasing in diameter, and there is no guide tube 29, and the portion that slides the angle wire 25 as seen when the insertion hole 28 extends in the axial direction of the flexible tube portion 4 is a resin surface. However, since the flexible tube portion main body 26 is not a metal surface, there is no possibility that the flexible tube portion main body 26 is significantly scraped due to wear.

When the replacement work is required, for example, when the angle wire 25 is broken, the spiral tube 41 is required.
The angle wire 25 may be further removed, and a new angle wire 25 may be inserted into the spiral tube 41 and attached again.

FIG. 5B shows a modification of the flexible tube 4 of the endoscope 1 according to the second embodiment (see FIG. 5A). In this modification, an outer tube 51 forming a flexible tube portion main body 26 made of resin is provided in the flexible tube portion 4, and the light guide 18, the imaging cable 20, and the four angle wires 25 are provided inside the outer tube 51. The guide tube 2
All of the internal components such as 9 are inserted in a grouped state. Further, on the inner peripheral surface of the outer tube 51, there is provided a rebound resilience reinforcing portion 52 in which a spiral tube (tubular body) 51a having high resilience is integrated.

Therefore, in this modified example of the above configuration, the light guide 18 and the light guide 18 are provided inside the spiral tube 51a on the inner peripheral surface of the outer tube 51.
All the internal components such as the imaging cable 20 and the four angle wires 25 and their guide tubes 29 are bound into one,
Thereafter, in order to injection-mold the resin layer of the outer tube 51 which is the flexible tube portion main body 26, spiral tubes are provided for the individual built-in components, and a plurality of discrete built-in components are integrally formed inside the flexible tube portion main body 26. Than when injection molding to incorporate into
The workability at the time of forming the flexible tube portion main body 26 is excellent.

Further, instead of the spiral tube 51a of the above-described modified example, a mesh tube formed by knitting a metal wire may be provided. In this case, the built-in material is integrally included in the inside of the net tube, and when this net tube is brought into close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer tube 51, peeling of the net tube is extremely small. It has the effect of further improving.

FIG. 5 shows the inner peripheral surface of the outer tube 51.
(B) Both the spiral tube 51a and the mesh tube may be provided to improve both the rebound resilience like the spiral tube 51a and the followability of the tip of the mesh tube.

As in the first embodiment described above, the resilient elasticity strengthening portion in which the spiral tube 30 is integrated with the inner peripheral surface of the imaging cable insertion hole 27 of the flexible tube portion main body 26 through which the imaging cable 20 is inserted. 31 instead of providing the light guide 18
May be provided on the inner peripheral surface of the light guide insertion hole through which the spiral tube 30 is integrated.

Further, instead of the light guide 18 of the illumination optical system of the endoscope 1, an illumination LED is provided at the distal end portion 6,
An LED signal line for supplying power to the illumination LED may be provided.

The observation optical system of the endoscope 1 is a CCD.
Instead of using the solid-state imaging device 19 and its imaging cable 20, an image guide fiber bundle for transmitting an observation image from the objective optical system 17 at the distal end portion 6 may be used.

Further, the bending operation of the bending portion 5 is not performed by the angle wire 25 but in response to pressurization or decompression of a fluid (for example, a liquid such as water or oil, or a gas such as air or helium). The bending portion 5 may be caused to perform a bending operation by pushing and pulling a piston that operates. In this case, in place of the angle wire 25 and the guide tube 29, a conduit for filling a fluid is provided in the flexible tube portion 4. And this pipe line may be covered with the spiral pipe 30 of the first embodiment.

Further, this conduit is formed by the spiral tube 30 of the first embodiment, and this spiral tube 30 is formed by FEP, PFA.
It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which liquid tightness is ensured by providing an exterior with a heat-shrinkable tube.

FIGS. 6 to 8A and 8B show a third embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the configuration of the flexible tube section 4 of the endoscope 1 of the first embodiment (see FIGS. 1 to 4A and 4B) is changed as follows. The other parts have the same configuration as that of the first embodiment, and the same parts as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted here.

That is, in this embodiment, instead of the outer net tube 32 on the outer peripheral surface of the flexible tube portion main body 26 of the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. It is provided with the formed webbing tube 62. In addition, FIG.
This is a view in which a part of the webbing tube 62 is flattened and enlarged.

As shown in FIG. 6, the webbing tube 62 is formed by weaving a steel strip 61 having a rectangular cross section as warp yarns 61a and weft yarns 61b in the fabric. As shown in FIG. 6, the webbing tube 62 is formed in a tubular shape so that one side is the center of the flexible tube 4 and the other side is the outer periphery of the flexible tube 4.

Further, the half of the inner peripheral side of the webbing tube 62 of the present embodiment is embedded in the flexible tube main body 26. Here, when manufacturing the flexible tube portion 4, first, as shown in FIG. 8A, the light guide 18, the imaging cables 20 and 4
A first resin layer 63, which is a first resin layer in which all the built-in components such as the angle wire 25 and the guide tube 29 are disposed, is formed. Thereafter, the webbing tube 62 is connected to the first resin layer 6.
3 and further thereon, as shown in FIG.
A second resin layer 64, which is a second resin layer, is formed so that a part of the webbing tube 62 is exposed.

The sectional shape of the steel strip 61 is, for example, 0.08 to 0.12 mm in the short side direction and 0.2 to 0.12 mm in the long side direction.
It is about 0.4 mm. Therefore, if the thickness of the first resin layer 63 is less than 0.16 mm, a part of the webbing tube 62 is exposed, and the other part is buried in the resin of the first resin layer 63. The steel strip 61 is, for example, a cold-rolled stainless steel strip.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.
When the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 1 is inserted into an insertion conduit such as a pipe, the wire constituting the outer net tube of the flexible tube portion 4 is slid with the inner wall surface of the insertion conduit. This sliding becomes a shearing force, and there is a possibility that the wire of the sliding portion of the flexible tube portion 4 is broken due to the accumulation of the force. Particularly, as in the conventional example shown in FIG. 7B, when a plurality of metal wires W having a circular cross section are braided to form an outer net tube serving as a sliding portion of the flexible tube portion 4, a wire of the outer net tube is formed. Metal wires W are vulnerable to wear, and each metal wire W is easily broken.

It is conceivable to increase the diameter of the metal wire W having a circular cross section in order to increase the strength of the conventional outer mesh pipe, but in this case, the thickness of the outer mesh pipe is increased, and the insertion portion 2 is increased. However, there is a disadvantage that the outer diameter becomes large.

On the other hand, in the webbing tube 62 of the present embodiment, the space which has conventionally been formed by braiding and holding a plurality of metal wires W having a circular cross section is replaced with a single steel strip 61. By doing so, it is possible to increase the cross-sectional area per one strand of the webbing tube 62 serving as a sliding portion of the flexible tube portion 4,
Its strength is improved.

For example, when a conventional metal wire W having a circular cross section having a diameter of 0.08 mm and having five wires is replaced with a steel strip 61 of 0.08 mm × 0.4 mm of the same material, Has a cross-sectional area five times or more, and at least a shear force (N / mm ² ) five times or more.

Specifically, when SUS304CS having a sectional shape of 0.08 mm × 0.4 mm is used as the steel strip 61, the shear strength is about 125 N or more.
SUS30 in which the diameter of the circular metal wire W is 0.08 mm
In 4-W1, it is about 10 to 14N.

Therefore, the above configuration has the following effects. That is, in the present embodiment, the steel strip 61 having a rectangular cross section is formed by using a warp 61a and a weft
Since the braided net tube 62 formed by knitting as b is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the flexible tube portion main body 26, when a plurality of metal wires W having a circular cross section are held and knitted to form a net tube as in the related art, In comparison with this, the durability against the shearing force applied to the sliding portion of the flexible tube portion 4 (the webbing tube 62) is improved. In other words, the resistance to sliding that occurs when the insertion section 2 of the endoscope 1 is inserted into an insertion conduit such as a pipe is improved.

FIG. 9 shows a modification of the flexible tube portion 4 of the endoscope 1 according to the third embodiment (see FIGS. 6 to 8A and 8B). In this modification, an outer tube 71 forming the flexible tube portion main body 26 made of resin is provided in the flexible tube portion 4, and the light guide 18 and
All built-in components such as the imaging cable 20 and the four angle wires 25 and their guide tubes 29 are inserted in a grouped state.

Further, a spiral tube 72 having a high rebound resilience and a mesh tube 73 are integrated on the inner peripheral surface of the outer tube 71. Further, the inner side of the webbing tube 62 of the third embodiment is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the outer tube 71 in a buried state. Here, the webbing tube 62 is not injection molded so that a part of the webbing tube 62 is embedded in the flexible tube portion main body 26 at the time of molding. The flexible tube portion main body 26 may be directly knitted so as to bite into the semi-buried state.

FIG. 10 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the configuration of the bending portion 5 of the endoscope 1 of the first embodiment (see FIGS. 1 to 4A and 4B) is changed as follows. The other parts have the same configuration as that of the first embodiment, and the same parts as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted here.

That is, the bending portion 5 of the first embodiment is provided with a bending portion mesh pipe 23 inside the tube body 24 so as to prevent the tube body 24 from being pinched by the node ring 21. In the embodiment, a curved portion protection net pipe 81 is further provided outside the tube body 24.

This bent portion protection net pipe 81 is formed by forming a strip-shaped steel strip 61 having a rectangular cross section in the same manner as the strip net pipe 62 of the third embodiment (see FIGS. 6 to 8A and 8B). It is formed by a band mesh tube 62 knitted as a warp or a weft in a fabric and formed into a cylindrical net shape.

The bent portion protection net tube 81 is formed by the tube 2
4 is provided. The distal end of the curved portion protection net tube 81 is fixed to the rear end of the distal end portion 6 by bonding, binding, or a combination thereof, and by mechanical means using a base. Further, the rear end portion of the curved portion protection net tube 81 is similarly fixed to the front end portion of the flexible tube portion 4 by bonding, bundling, or a combination thereof, and mechanical means using a base.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.
Generally, when the insertion section 2 of the endoscope 1 is inserted into a pipe or the like, the outer peripheral surface of the insertion section 2 is slid with a wall surface such as a pipe. And there is a possibility that the insertion portion 2 may be damaged by this sliding. In particular, since the tube body 24 of the bending portion 5 is formed of a thin tube in order to bend the bending portion 5 smoothly and with a small force, there is a high possibility of breakage.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the bent portion protection net tube 81 of the bent portion 5 is constituted by the band net tube 62 formed by knitting the steel strip 61 as warp and weft, which are called fabric, and forming it into a cylindrical net shape. As described in the third embodiment, the shear strength of the net tube of the bending portion 5 is several times higher than the case where the net tube is formed of a metal wire having a circular cross section within the same limit of the tube thickness. . For this reason, as described in the third embodiment, by covering the outer peripheral surface of the tube body 24 of the bending portion 5 with the bending portion protection net pipe 81 made of the steel strip 61 as in the third embodiment, a circular cross section is provided. It is possible to improve the durability of the insertion portion 2 itself with higher strength against sliding and shearing than when forming a net tube with a wire.

When the bending portion 5 is bent, the tube 2
Since the tube portion 24 is required to have the flexibility, the outer periphery of the flexible tube portion main body 26 is required when the bent portion protection net tube 81 is provided on the tube body 24 as in the case of the band net tube 62 of the third embodiment. It is desirable to dispose it with a certain clearance or more with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the tube body 24 without embedding it in the surface resin layer.

In each of the above embodiments, the steel strip may be a stainless steel strip for spring or a tungsten strip. In this case, the strength is higher than that of the cold-rolled stainless steel strip, and the resistance is improved. In particular, the effect is high in a band made of tungsten.

The following configuration may be adopted in the endoscope system. That is, conventionally, the situation of the place is recorded by an image recording device through a microphone at the time of endoscopic observation. However, instead of voice input by the microphone, an electric signal generator is installed in the endoscope system. And an electric signal may be input to the image recording apparatus.

Here, in the case of voice input by a microphone, comments on a patient's pathology may give anxiety to a patient at the time of endoscopy in a hospital. Can eliminate such anxiety by inputting an electric signal. In this case, if the electric signal is changed depending on the degree of progress of the disease piece, the distinction becomes easier and the condition is further improved.

FIG. 11 shows a frame body 91 for carrying an endoscope. The frame body 91 is provided with a storage section 93 for storing a plurality of endoscope devices 92. Then, in a state where the plurality of endoscope devices 92 are stored inside the storage portion 93 of the frame body 91, the endoscope device 92 is formed as one unit and can be transported.

In the inside of the storage portion 93 of the frame body 91, a connecting portion for connecting to the wiring 92a of each endoscope device 92 is provided. Further, a connector 94 communicating with each wiring 92a is arranged outside the frame body 91.

Therefore, in the frame body 91 shown in FIG. 11, each endoscope device 92 is provided outside the storage portion 93 of the frame body 91.
Since the connector 94 that can be connected to an external device can be provided without leading out the wiring 92a, there is an effect that the portability is enhanced and the operability is improved.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Next, other characteristic technical matters of the present application will be additionally described as follows. (Additional Item 1) In an endoscope having an insertion portion in which an imaging transmission unit, an illumination transmission unit, and a bending operation transmission unit are integrally formed of resin, at least one of the above units includes the unit and the resin. Interposed between the resin layers by, the means is exterior,
An endoscope comprising an exterior body having high rebound resilience.

(Additional Item 2) In an endoscope having an insertion portion in which an imaging transmission unit, an illumination transmission unit, and a bending operation transmission unit are integrally formed of resin, the above units form a group,
An endoscope interposed between the means group and a resin layer made of the resin, externally covering the means group, and having an exterior body having high rebound resilience.

(Additional Item 3) The endoscope according to Additional Items 1 and 2, wherein the exterior body is a spiral body made of a thin steel strip.

(Additional Item 4) An endoscope according to Additional Item 3, wherein the thin plate spiral member is made of a stainless steel material.

(Additional Item 5) An endoscope according to additional item 3, wherein the thin plate spiral member is made of phosphor bronze.

(Additional Item 6) An endoscope according to Additional Item 3, wherein a tubular shield for shielding the resin is externally or internally inserted in the thin spiral body.

(Additional Item 7) An endoscope according to Additional Items 1 and 2, wherein the resin is a thermoplastic elastomer.

(Additional Item 8) The endoscope according to additional item 7, wherein the resin is polyester.

(Additional Item 9) An endoscope according to Additional Item 7, wherein the resin is polyurethane.

(Additional Item 10) An endoscope according to Additional Item 7, wherein the resin is a mixture of polyurethane and polyester.

(Additional Item 11) An endoscope according to Additional Item 10, wherein the mixing ratio of polyurethane and polyester is changed from the distal end side to the proximal side of the insertion portion to change the flexibility of the insertion portion. .

(Additional Item 12) An endoscope according to Additional Item 11, wherein the flexibility at the distal end is high and the flexibility at the hand side is low.

(Additional Item 13) The endoscope according to Additional Item 6, wherein the shield is a heat-shrinkable tube.

(Additional Item 14) An endoscope according to additional item 6, wherein the heat-shrinkable tube is FEP (tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer).

(Additional Item 15) The endoscope according to additional item 6, wherein the heat-shrinkable tube is made of PFA (tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer).

(Additional Item 16) An endoscope according to Additional Item 3, wherein the inner diameter of the thin plate spiral is φ0.4 or more.

(Additional Item 17) The endoscope according to Additional Item 3, wherein the thickness of the thin spiral body is 0.05 or more.

(Additional Item 18) In the additional item 1, the image pickup transmitting means supplies electric power to the solid-state image pickup device disposed at the distal end, and transmits an electric signal of the received observation image to the image processing device on the hand side. An endoscope characterized by being a cable.

(Additional Item 19) In the additional item 1, the image pickup transmitting means is an image guide fiber bundle for transmitting an observation image received from the objective lens disposed at the distal end portion to the eyepiece on the hand side. Endoscope.

(Additional Item 20) The endoscope according to additional item 1, wherein the illumination transmitting means is a light guide fiber bundle for transmitting illumination light to an illumination lens disposed at a distal end portion.

(Additional Item 21) An endoscope according to Additional Item 1, wherein the illumination transmitting means is an LED signal line for supplying power to the LED disposed at the tip end.

(Additional Item 22) In the additional item 1, the bending transmission means is connected to the bending tube or the distal end portion, and a bending wire for bending the bending portion by pulling, a bending wire is inserted, and the positioning of the wire is performed. An endoscope comprising a guide tube for performing the following.

(Additional Item 23) An endoscope according to Additional Item 1, wherein the bending transmission means is a bending wire connected to the bending tube or the distal end portion and bending the bending portion by pulling.

(Additional Item 24) In the additional item 1, the bending transmission means may be a fluid supply pipe connected to the piston of a bending portion which is bent by pushing and pulling the piston which operates in response to pressurization and decompression of the fluid. An endoscope characterized by the following.

(Additional Item 25) The endoscope according to Additional Item 2, wherein the fluid is a gas.

(Additional Item 26) An endoscope according to Additional Item 25, wherein the fluid is air.

(Additional Item 27) The endoscope according to Additional Item 2, wherein the fluid is a liquid.

(Additional Item 28) The endoscope according to additional item 27, wherein the fluid is water.

(Additional Item 29) The endoscope according to additional item 27, wherein the fluid is oil.

(Additional Item 30) In an endoscope provided with an elongated insertion portion made of a resin having a plurality of insertion holes, the endoscope is provided integrally on an inner peripheral surface of at least one of the plurality of insertion holes. An endoscope comprising a tubular body having high rebound resilience.

(Additional Item 31) In an endoscope having an insertion portion in which a net pipe is provided in at least a part of an outermost layer from a distal end portion, a curved section to a flexible pipe section, at least a part of a wire of the net pipe is removed. An endoscope formed of a steel strip.

(Additional Item 32) In an endoscope having an insertion portion in which a net pipe is provided in at least a part of the outermost layer from the distal end portion, the curved portion to the flexible tube portion, at least a part of the net pipe is formed of a steel strip. An endoscope comprising a braided mesh tube.

(Additional Item 33) In an endoscope having an insertion portion in which a net tube is provided on at least a part of an outermost layer from a tip portion, a curved portion to a flexible tube portion, the net tube is formed by knitting a steel strip over its entire length. An endoscope characterized by comprising a reticular tube.

(Supplementary Item 34) In the supplementary items 31 to 33, the net pipe is provided separately from at least a part of the distal end portion, the curved portion, and the outermost layer of the flexible tube portion. Endoscope.

(Additional Item 35) The endoscope according to Additional Items 31 to 33, wherein the endoscope is semi-buried in the flexible tube portion such that a part of the outermost layer of the mesh tube is exposed.

(Additional Item 36) In the additional items 31 to 33, the endoscope is characterized in that it is semi-buried with respect to the curved portion and the flexible tube portion so that a part of the outermost layer of the mesh tube is exposed. mirror.

(Additional Item 37) An endoscope according to additional items 35 and 36, wherein one of the overlapping steel strips constituting the net pipe is arranged to be exposed.

(Additional Item 38) The endoscope according to additional item 31, wherein the steel strip is a stainless steel strip.

(Additional Item 39) The endoscope according to additional item 38, wherein the steel strip is a cold-rolled stainless steel strip.

(Additional Item 40) An endoscope according to additional item 38, wherein the steel strip is a stainless steel strip for a spring.

(Additional Item 41) The endoscope according to additional item 38, wherein the steel strip is made of tungsten.

(Additional Item 42) The endoscope according to additional item 31, wherein the steel strip has a cross-sectional shape of 0.08 to 0.12 × 0.2 to 0.4.

(Additional Item 43) An endoscope according to additional item 31, wherein the steel strip has a cross-sectional shape of 0.08 × 0.2.

(Additional Item 44) The endoscope according to Additional Items 35 and 36, wherein the net tube is semi-buried in the resin of the outermost layer of the flexible tube portion.

(Additional Item 45) The endoscope according to Additional Item 44, wherein the resin is polyester.

(Additional Item 46) The endoscope according to Additional Item 44, wherein the resin is polyurethane.

(Additional Item 47) The endoscope according to additional item 44, wherein the resin is a mixture of polyurethane and polyester.

(Additional Item 48) An endoscope according to additional item 36, wherein the net tube is semi-buried in the outer skin of the curved portion covered with the outermost layer. .

(Additional Item 49) The endoscope according to additional item 48, wherein the outer skin is made of fluoro rubber.

(Additional Item 50) The endoscope according to additional item 48, wherein the outer skin is made of polyurethane.

(Additional Item 51) The endoscope according to additional item 48, wherein the outer skin is made of silicone rubber.

(Conventional Techniques of Supplementary Items 1 to 30) As shown in JP-A-58-103431, a conventional flexible tube of an endoscope is formed by coating a thin spiral tube with a wire netting, and then coating it with a resin. It is formed by covering the outer skin, and the inside of the flexible tube is one large hollow. Among them, there are an image guide fiber bundle, a light guide fiber bundle, an angle wire for bending a curved portion, an angle wire, which is a built-in component of the endoscope, a guide tube for regulating the running of the wire, and an electronic inside. In the case of an endoscope, instead of the image guide fiber bundle, a signal line for transmitting and receiving a signal of a solid-state imaging device provided at a distal end portion to an image processing apparatus at hand is arranged. However, in this hollow flexible tube,
Because the crushing strength against external force is insufficient, the inside is not hollow, but is integrally molded with resin or the like and is integrally filled with resin. For example, a flexible endoscope as shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-24323. Tubes are considered.

(Problems to be Solved by Additional Items 1 to 30) In the structure of the flexible tube described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-24323, since there is no thin spiral tube, the hardness and rebound resilience of the resin forming the flexible tube are reduced. , The flexibility and followability of the flexible tube itself are determined.

In the endoscope, in order for the distal end of the endoscope to be inserted into the large intestine or the deep part of the pipe after passing through the bent portion, appropriate flexibility and resilience are required. In order to direct the viewing direction to an appropriate position, in addition to the bending operation, it is necessary to have a follow-up property capable of transmitting the twisting and pushing / pulling operations on the hand side to the distal end portion of the endoscope.

However, in general, when a rod or a hollow body is formed of resin, it is relatively easy to adjust the flexibility and softness of the resin by changing the hardness of the resin. Despite this, it is difficult to control the resilience and followability.

In particular, it is difficult to increase the rebound resilience required for an endoscope with a resin alone. In the case of a hollow portion having a small diameter and a small number of hollow portions, it is liable to be strong (frightening) if the flexibility is low and vulnerable if the flexibility is high.

In a rod or a hollow body, even if a twisting operation is applied to one end, it is often absorbed in a middle part of the rod or the hollow body, and the torsion is transmitted to the other end to follow. Is also difficult.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an endoscope having a flexible tube that is strong (smooth) against crushing, and has an optimal flexibility as an endoscope.
An object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope having rebound resilience and followability.

(Means and Actions for Solving the Problems of Supplementary Items 1 to 30) In an endoscope having an insertion portion in which imaging transmission means, illumination transmission means, and bending operation transmission means are integrally formed of resin. By taking a configuration in which at least one of the above-mentioned means is provided between the means and the resin layer made of the resin, the means is provided as an exterior, and an exterior having a high rebound resilience is provided. In addition to improving the rebound resilience of the insertion portion, since the exterior body can be integrally formed in a state of being exterior to the means, a hollow flexible tube provided with an exterior body made of a thin spiral tube is prepared in advance, and Since there is no need for a conventional operation of inserting a built-in object therein, there is an effect of simplifying the manufacture of the endoscope.

(Effects of Supplementary Items 1 to 30) In order to improve the crushing resistance, compared to the case where the built-in component is integrally molded with resin to form a flexible tube, the resilience of the built-in component is improved. The resilience of the flexible tube can be improved only by interposing the rich outer body. As a result, it is possible to form a stiff insertion portion and insert the endoscope to a deep portion such as a pipe.

Further, there is no need to insert a built-in component into a conventional flexible tube made of a hollow body, and the production of the flexible tube portion 4 can be simplified.

(Conventional Techniques of Supplementary Items 31 to 51) In a conventional endoscope, as it goes from the operation unit on the hand side to the distal end side,
The insertion section is connected to the flexible tube section, the bending section, and the distal end configuration section, and is inserted into the lumen or lumen. Particularly, in the endoscope in the industrial field used for inspection in pipes, etc., from the viewpoint of securing abrasion resistance and slipperiness of the outer surface, the outermost surface of the insertion portion is further covered with a mesh tube in which element wires are woven in a tubular shape. . The mesh tube is impregnated with a resin so that the knitting is not lost due to friction or the like. As shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-42086, this mesh pipe is fixed to the insertion portion using screws or a base. Furthermore, actual fairness 1-4
The mesh pipe as shown in 2086 is usually circular in cross section, and has a diameter of φ0.06 to φ0.1.

(Problems to be Solved by Additional Items 31 to 51) In Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-42086, the cross-sectional shape of the wire of the mesh pipe is circular, and is usually from φ0.06 to φ0.1.
I use it with multiple pieces with a diameter of 持 ち
A strand of this diameter is not very resistant to rubbing. The mesh tube is provided from the viewpoint of ensuring the wear resistance and the slipperiness of the insertion portion, but the wire is often disconnected due to sliding such as rubbing during use. As a countermeasure, increasing the diameter of the element wire can be cited. However, increasing the diameter increases the thickness of the net tube itself, and consequently has the disadvantage of increasing the diameter.

(Objects of Supplementary Items 31 to 51) In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to improve the durability of a mesh pipe against sliding without increasing the diameter of the mesh pipe.

(Means and Actions for Solving the Problems in Supplementary Items 31 to 51) An endoscope having an insertion portion in which a mesh pipe is provided on at least a part of the outermost layer from the distal end portion and the curved portion to the flexible tube portion. In the mirror, at least a part of the wire of the net pipe is formed of a steel strip, so that the cross-sectional area of the wire constituting the net pipe increases, thereby improving the strength against a shear load. There is action. In particular, as shown in FIG.
By using a steel strip instead of the space having a plurality of conventional metal wires, there is an effect of improving the durability without requiring a large space.

(Effects of Additional Items 31 to 51) Conventionally, a plurality of round metal wires were provided and knitted to form a net tube.
By using a steel strip for the space that has been held, the durability against the shearing force applied to the mesh pipe is improved. As a result, the resistance of the insertion portion to rubbing of the exterior can be improved.

[0147]

According to the present invention, a rebound resilience reinforcing section in which a tubular body having high rebound resilience is integrated on at least one inner peripheral surface of a plurality of insertion holes formed in a flexible tube portion made of resin of an insertion portion. Is provided, it is possible to provide an endoscope having a flexible tube portion which is strong against crushing and has appropriate flexibility, resilience, and followability. Therefore, the resilience of the flexible tube portion can be improved simply by integrating the tubular body rich in resilience that covers the built-in component, so that the built-in component is integrally formed of resin to improve the crush resistance. As compared with the case where the flexible tube portion is formed by using the flexible tube portion, a stiff insertion portion can be formed, and the endoscope can be inserted to a deep portion such as a pipe.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an entire endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a longitudinal sectional view showing an internal configuration of a distal end portion of an insertion section in the endoscope according to the first embodiment, FIG. 2B is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 4) is a longitudinal sectional view showing a connecting portion between the bending portion and the flexible tube portion in the endoscope according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a flexible tube portion in the endoscope according to the first embodiment.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show a first embodiment, in which FIG. 4A is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part showing a resilience enhancing portion of a flexible tube portion in an endoscope, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part showing a curved state of the resilience enhancing section.

FIG. 5A is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of an endoscope according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5B is a main part showing a modification of the endoscope according to the second embodiment; FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state in which a webbing tube of a flexible tube portion is woven in an endoscope according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-sectional shape of a tight band of a flexible tube portion in an endoscope according to a third embodiment, and FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional shape of a net tube of a metal wire having a circular cross-section. FIG.

FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate a manufacturing process of a flexible tube portion in the endoscope according to the third embodiment. FIG. 8A illustrates a state in which a webbing tube is covered on a first resin layer of a flexible tube portion main body. FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the main part, showing a state where the second resin layer is molded so that a part of the webbing tube is exposed.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a modification of the endoscope according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part showing a frame body for carrying an endoscope.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Insertion part 4 Flexible tube part 26 Flexible tube part main body 27 Imaging cable insertion hole 28 Angle wire insertion hole 30, 41, 51 Spiral tube (tubular body) 31, 42, 52 Rebound resilience reinforcing part

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A flexible tube portion made of resin is formed in an elongated insertion portion inserted into a lumen, and a plurality of insertion holes extending in the axial direction of the insertion portion are formed in the flexible tube portion. An endoscope further comprising: a rebound resilience reinforcing portion in which a tubular body having high rebound resilience is integrated on an inner peripheral surface of at least one of the insertion holes.