PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope capable of changing a bending length in one bending part, which can make the curvature or radius of curvature of each part in each bending length equal or substantially equal.SOLUTION: An endoscope includes: an insert part an operation part and a bending part 7, and can be switched between a first state where only a first bending part 7a at the tip side of the bending part 7 is bent and a second state where the first bending part 7a and a second bending part 7b at the base end side of the bending part 7 are bent. The endoscope further has an elastic cylindrical covering part 21 provided to cover the bending part 7. The covering member 21 has a first part 21a covering the first bending part 7a and a second part 21b covering the second bending part 7b, and the first part 21a and the second part 21b are different in thickness of a cylindrical thin part so that in the second state, the first bending part 7a and the second bending part 7b are equal or substantially equal to each other in the radius of curvature.COPYRIGHT: (C)2014,JPO&INPIT【課題】1つの湾曲部において湾曲長を変更できる内視鏡において、各湾曲長における各部位の曲率あるいは曲率半径を等しく若しくは略等しくできる内視鏡を提供する。【解決手段】内視鏡は、挿入部と、操作部と、湾曲部7と、を備え、かつ、湾曲部7の先端側の第1湾曲部7aだけが湾曲する第1の状態と、第1湾曲部7aと湾曲部7の基端側の第2湾曲部7bとが湾曲する第2の状態とを切り替え可能である。内視鏡は、さらに、湾曲部7を覆うように設けられ、弾性を有する円筒状の被覆部材21を有する。被覆部材21は、第1湾曲部7aを覆う第1の部分21aと、第2湾曲部7bを覆う第2の部分21bとを有し、第2の状態において第1湾曲部7aと第2湾曲部7bの曲率半径が等しく若しくは略等しくなるように、第1の部分21aと第2の部分21bは、円筒状の薄肉部の厚さが異なる。【選択図】図2
