Patent ID: 8444553

Claim:
An endoscope apparatus, comprising: an insertion portion that is inserted into a subject; a bending portion provided on a distal end side of the insertion portion, the bending portion being bendable and turnable centering around an insertion axis of the insertion portion; a bending driving section that drives bending of the bending portion with respect to the insertion axis; a bending driving control section that controls a bending driving status of the bending driving section based on a control signal to be inputted; a bending direction changing section that detects bending driving information showing a bent state of the bending portion according to control of the bending driving control section and, with the bent state maintained, outputs the control signal to the bending driving control section, the control signal adapted to continuously change a bending direction of the bending portion by controlling the driving of the bending driving section such that a distal end of the bending portion makes a turning motion forming a circular trail centering around the insertion axis, the bending portion maintaining the bent state; a bending instruction operation section for performing an instruction operation to bend the bending portion in vertical and horizontal directions; a turning designation section for designating the turning motion to turn a distal end side of the bending portion with respect to a proximal end of the bending portion, the turning designation section being provided at a position different from a position where the bending instruction operation section is provided; a direction switch for designating a turning direction of the turning motion by a switch operation, the direction switch being provided at the turning designation section; and a turning switch for starting/stopping the turning motion by a switch operation, the turning switch being provided at the turning designation section; wherein the bending driving control section further comprises a turning circle determination section that determines a turning circle having a radius to be a distance from the insertion axis to the distal end of the bending portion when the turning switch is operated to start the turning motion, and a tangential direction calculation section that calculates a tangential direction of the turning circle determined by the turning circle determination section, wherein, when the bending instruction operation section is operated for instruction, the bending driving control section controls the bending driving of the bending driving section in response to the instruction operation of the bending instruction operation section; and wherein, when the turning switch is operated to start the turning motion, the bending driving control section controls the bending driving of the bending driving section such that the distal end of the bending portion makes the turning motion to draw a circle.