Patent ID: 8262562
Filing Date: 2012-09-11
Classification: A61B,G02B

Abstract:
1. A bending portion of an elongate insertion part of an endoscope, the endoscope including an operation part configured for operating the elongate insertion part, the elongate insertion part including a proximal end and a distal end and adapted to be inserted into an inner space of an object, with the distal end as a leading end, and the operation part of the endoscope being connected to the proximal end of the elongate insertion part, and the elongate insertion part including an insertion part main body which has the proximal end, which extends toward the distal end and which has an extending end area proximate to the distal end, a tip portion which has the distal end and which has a base end area, and the bending portion which is arranged between the extending end area of the insertion part main body and the base end area of the tip portion and which has one end area connected to the extending end area of the insertion main body and the other end area connected to the base end area of the tip portion, and the bending portion together with the tip portion being bendable by being operated with the operation part, the bending portion comprising: a bending structure including first and second portions which correspond to the one end area and the other end area of the bending portion, the first portion and second portion overlapping the extending end area of the insertion part main body and the base end area of the tip portion; a first fixing member fixing the first portion of the bending structure to the extending end area of the insertion part main body overlapped with the first portion, and having a head exposed on an outer surface of the first portion; a second fixing member fixing the second portion of the bending structure to the base end area of the tip portion overlapped with the second portion, and having a head exposed on an outer surface of the second portion; a flexible cover member which covers the bending structure from the first portion to the second portion, which also covers the heads of the first and second fixing members, and which has one end and the other end portion corresponding to the first and second portion of the bending structure; thread members wound on the one and the other end portions of the cover member, and making up winding portions on the one and the other end portions; and resin layers covering the winding portions of the thread members wound on the one and the other end portions of the cover member, wherein each thread member has a winding start portion and a winding end portion both which are arranged between each of the one and the other end portions of the cover member and the winding portion thereon, and both of which extend substantially parallel to one another in a longitudinal direction of the insertion part, and the winding start portion and winding end portion on each of the one and the other end portions of the cover member are separated from the head of the fixing member corresponding thereto in a circumferential direction of each of the one and the other end portion of the cover member and are separated from each other in the circumferential direction.