PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance the operability of a hardness variable mechanism of a soft part of an endoscope insertion portion, especially to provide the hardness variable mechanism lightly and easily operable by one hand.SOLUTION: The hardness adjusting device includes a close contact coil spring arranged in the soft part of the endoscope insertion portion to alter the flexibility of the soft part, a wire fixed to the tip part of the close contact coil spring to permit the insertion of the close contact coil spring, fixing means for fixing the rear end part of the close contact coil spring, an eccentric windup rotary body for drawing the wire and winding the wire around the outer peripheral surface thereof to wind up the wire, and wire position prescribing means arranged at a predetermined position between the windup rotary body and the rear end part of the close contact coil spring and positioning the wire so that the drawing direction of the wire between the predetermined position and the rear end part of the close contact coil spring coincides with the axis of the close contact coil spring.COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT【課題】内視鏡挿入部の軟性部の硬度可変機構の操作性を向上させること、特に、硬度可変機構を片手で軽い力で容易に操作可能とする。【解決手段】内視鏡挿入部の軟性部内に配置された該軟性部の可撓性を変更することが可能な密着コイルばねと、前記密着コイルばねの先端部と固定され、前記密着コイルばねを挿通するように設けられたワイヤと、前記密着コイルばねの後端部を固定する固定手段と、前記ワイヤを牽引し、その外周面に前記ワイヤを巻き付けて巻き上げる、偏心した巻き上げ回転体と、前記巻き上げ回転体と前記密着コイルばねの後端部の間の所定位置に配置され、前記所定位置と前記密着コイルばねの後端部との間における前記ワイヤの牽引方向が前記密着コイルばねの軸線と一致するように前記ワイヤを位置規制するワイヤ位置規制手段と、を備えたことを特徴とする硬度調整装置を提供することにより前記課題を解決する。【選択図】図4
