PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope having bending performance easy-to-use even in a narrow space inside a body cavity.SOLUTION: This endoscope includes a bend part 32 inserted into the body cavity from the tip side and bent by a bending operation. The bend part 32 has a plurality of joint rings turnably connected to each other. The plurality of joint rings include: first joint rings 321, in each of which a turning shaft extending along a first direction (an X-axis direction) crossing the longitudinal direction wherein the bend part 32 extends is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction, and in each of which a turning shaft extending along a second direction (a Y-axis direction) crossing both the longitudinal direction and the first direction (the X-axis direction) is provided at the other end in the longitudinal direction and second joint rings 322, in each of which turning shafts extending parallel to each other along the first direction (the X-axis direction) are provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction. The number of the turning shafts which are disposed on the tip side of the bend part 32 and extend along the first direction (the X-axis direction) is larger than the number of the turning shafts which are disposed on the base end side of the bend part 32 and extend along the first direction (the X-axis direction).COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT【課題】体腔内の狭い空間であっても使用し易い湾曲性能を有する内視鏡を提供する。【解決手段】体腔内に先端側から挿入され湾曲操作により曲げられる湾曲部32を備える内視鏡であって、湾曲部32は、互いに回動可能に連結される複数の節輪を有し、前記複数の節輪は、湾曲部32が延出する長手方向に交差した第一方向(X軸方向)に沿って延びる回動軸が長手方向一端に設けられ、且つ長手方向および第一方向(X軸方向)の両方に交差した第二方向(Y軸方向)に沿って延びる回動軸が長手方向他端に設けられた第一節輪321と、第一方向(X軸方向)に沿って互いに平行に延びる回動軸が長手方向の両端にそれぞれ設けられた第二節輪322とを含んで構成され、湾曲部32の先端側に配置された第一方向(X軸方向)に沿って延びる回動軸の個数は、湾曲部32の基端側に配置された第一方向(X軸方向)に沿って延びる回動軸の個数よりも多い。【選択図】図3
