Patent ID: 8617056

Claim:
An endoscope comprising: a handle; an endoscope shaft having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end connected to the handle, the endoscope shaft comprising: a bendable section, including a flexible outer tube having a distal end portion, an inside surface and an outside surface; a rigid section adjoining the distal end portion of the flexible outer tube, the rigid section including a support extending in the longitudinal direction of the endoscope shaft towards the proximal end of the endoscope shaft, wherein the inside surface of the distal end portion of the flexible outer tube contacts the support; and a fixing sleeve, connected to the rigid section and extending over the outside surface of the of the distal end portion of the flexible outer tube such that the distal end portion of the flexible outer tube is secured between the fixing sleeve and the support, wherein the fixing sleeve includes a first fixing region having a gradually tapered converging internal diameter, and wherein the support includes a second fixing region having a diverging portion wherein an outside diameter of the support increases gradually in the longitudinal direction towards the distal end of the shaft from a first diameter to a maximum diameter and a converging portion adjoining the diverging portion wherein the outside diameter of the support gradually decreases in the longitudinal direction towards the distal end of the shaft from the maximum diameter to a second diameter.