| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flexible tube for an endoscope, for preventing buckling of an outer skin even when the flexible tube is frequently bent. <P>SOLUTION: The flexible tube 40 comprises a spiral tube 92, a net 76 and an outer skin 80, and relative to a conventional flexible tube in a three-layer structure in which the net 76 and the outer skin 80 are bonded, a bellows-like tube body 92 bonded with the net 76 instead of the outer skin 80 is interposed between the net 76 and the outer skin 80. When the flexible tube 40 is bent in a curved shape, a small diameter part 77A of the curved net 76 is contracted, and a large diameter part 77B of the net 76 is expanded. At this time, the bellows-like tube body 92 bonded to the net 76 with an adhesive 94 follows the expansion and contraction of the net 76, so that a small diameter part 93A of the tube body 92 is contracted and a large diameter part 93B is expanded. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2013,JPO&INPIT |
