| 摘要 |
<p>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope which is capable of guiding an insertion portion down into the deep part in a celom without carrying out intricate operation. SOLUTION: The insertion portion 4 of the endoscope 1 includes a distal end 11 which is arranged with an observation optical system, active type curving sections 12 which are constituted by successively connecting plural curving barrels 22 and 23 to be curved by operating a curving control knob 5a disposed at a control section 6, passive type curving sections 13 which are constituted by successively connecting the plural curving barrels 23 to be easily curved by receiving external force, a soft flexible tube section 14 which is curved by receiving the external force and a hard variable mechanism 24 which is arranged from the middle portion of the passive type curving sections 13 to the base end of the flexible tube section 14 and changes the hardness on the base end side within a prescribed range from the middle portion of the passive type curving sections 13 by hand operating the hardness change part 6b disposed at the control section 6.</p> |
