Patent ID: 8961401
Filing Date: 2015-02-24
Classification: A61B,B29C,F16B,G02B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A joint ring for an endoscope bending tube configured to fit with and to be fixed to a rigid member on a distal end side or a proximal end side in an axial direction, the joint ring comprising: a joint ring convex portion provided in a tube material and protrudingly provided toward the distal end side or the proximal end side in the axial direction, the joint ring convex portion including side end faces that fit with a positioning shape portion provided in the rigid member to perform positioning in a circumferential direction; a plastically deformed shape portion provided in the joint ring at an axial direction position outside of an axial direction position of the joint ring convex portion and at a circumferential direction position outside of a circumferential direction position of the joint ring convex portion, such that the axial direction position of the plastically deformed shape portion overlaps the axial direction position of the joint ring convex portion and is formed by being plastically deformed by at least a stretching force of stretching along a circumferential surface of the tube material; and joint ring concave portions constituted by concave shape portions arranged near both sides in the circumferential direction of the joint ring convex portion between the plastically deformed shape portion and the joint ring convex portion in the tube material, and configured, when the plastically deformed shape portion is plastically deformed by the stretching force of stretching along the circumferential surface of the tube material, to interrupt transmission of deforming force of the tube material with the plastic deformation in the plastically deformed shape portion by the concave shape portion to keep the deforming force from reaching the joint ring convex portion to thereby prevent deformation of the joint ring convex portion caused by the plastic deformation in the plastically deformed shape portion.