| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize an endoscope which secures the insertability of an inserting part by making the bending rigidity of a flexible tube part after high temperature/high pressure sterilization equal to or less, softer, than that prior thereto. SOLUTION: The endoscope is provided with an inserting part having the flexible tube part 15 which is built by covering the outer circumference of a spiral tube 39, formed by winding a metal band piece spirally, with a mesh tube 38 and the outside of the mesh tube 38 with a skin 39 made of a resin. In the flexible tube part 15 of the inserting part, the skin 39 made of the resin is made of an ester based thermoplastic elastomer or an amide based thermoplastic elastomer or the blend thereof so that the bending rigidity at a specified position after it receives a load of the high temperature/high pressure sterilization is made equal to or less, softer, than that prior to the reception of the load thereof. |
