PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an easy-to-manufacture endoscope preventing occurrence of buckling to a flexible body incorporated in an insertion part of the endoscope without imparting damage to other incorporated objects, and not impairing a curving operation of a curve part.SOLUTION: This endoscope includes an elongated insertion part wherein the flexible curve part is extendedly provided in the tip of a flexible soft part, and which is inserted into a test subject. The endoscope includes: an elongated flexible body 55 incorporated in the insertion part and a flexible protective tube 93 covering the outer periphery of the flexible body 55. The protective tube 93 has: a first region S1 covering the range of the curve part of the flexible body and a second region S2 covering the range of the soft part. The elastic constant of the first region S1 is smaller than the elastic constant of the second region S2, and the external diameter of the protective tube of the first region S1 is larger than the external diameter of the protective tube of the second region S2.COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT【課題】内視鏡の挿入部に内蔵される可撓体に対し、他の内蔵物にダメージを与えることなく座屈の発生を防止し、しかも、湾曲部の湾曲操作性を損なうことのない製造容易な内視鏡を提供する。【解決手段】内視鏡は、可撓性を有する軟性部の先端に湾曲可能な湾曲部が延設され、被検体内に挿入される細長状の挿入部を備える。この内視鏡は、挿入部に内蔵される細長状の可撓体55と、可撓体55の外周を覆う柔軟な保護チューブ93とを有し、保護チューブ93が、可撓体の湾曲部の範囲を覆う第1の領域S1と、軟性部の範囲を覆う第2の領域S2とを有しており、第1の領域S1の弾性定数を第2の領域S2の弾性定数より小さくし、かつ、第1の領域S1の保護チューブの外径は、第2の領域S2の保護チューブの外径より大きい内視鏡。【選択図】図7
