Patent ID: 9468361
Filing Date: 2016-10-18
CPC Classification: A61B,G02B

Claim Text:
1. A manufacturing method of an insertion portion of an endoscope, the insertion portion comprising a flexible tube including a helical tube, a braid tube disposed outside the helical tube, and a flexible outer tube disposed outside the braid tube; and a connection mouth ring connected to an end of the flexible tube and including a concave portion on an inner peripheral surface thereof, the manufacturing method comprising: (a) disposing a caulking member outside the helical tube and the braid tube wherein the caulking member is C-shaped and formed of a metal; (b) drawing a one end of the helical tube out with respect to a one end of the braid tube; (c) bringing the one end of the braid tube into contact with an end of the concave portion of the connection mouth ring, and fitting the helical tube into the connection mouth ring; (d) welding the helical tube and the connection mouth ring by thermal action from an outside of the connection mouth ring while the connection mouth ring and the helical tube are in a fitted state; (e) pressing the connection mouth ring fixed to the helical tube into the braid tube; and (f) plastically deforming the caulking member against the outside of the connection mouth ring by caulking of the caulking member and fixing the braid tube with respect to the connection mouth ring by the caulking of the caulking member, wherein a caulking position of the braid tube and the connection mouth ring is axially away from a welding position of the helical tube and the connection mouth ring.