Patent ID: 7163509

Claim:
An endoscope, comprising: an operating section provided with a plurality of components for manipulating the endoscope; and an elongated flexible tube to be inserted into a body cavity of a living body, the flexible tube having a base end connected to the operating section, and the flexible tube including an outer cover having an outer surface and made of thermoplastic elastomer, the outer cover having black or dark color by the presence of a color developing agent comprising TIN x O y (where, 0.1≦x≦1.0, 0≦y≦1.9) which is changed into TiO 2 having white color by irradiation with laser light, wherein the outer surface of the outer cover being formed with a colored portion having white or bright color, the colored portion being formed by means of development of the color developing agent due to irradiation with the laser light, and wherein the color developing agent is contained at least in the vicinity of the outer surface of the outer cover, and the content of the color developing agent contained in the outer cover is 3.0 to 10 weight percent of the outer cover.