Patent ID: 6837849

Claim:
An endoscope comprising: a first bending portion that is the distal portion of an elongated insertion member and bendable in four directions substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the insertion member, the first bending portion being bendable in accordance with the bending operation by a user; and a second bending portion located at the proximal end of said first bending portion and bendable in at least two directions substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the insertion member, the second bending portion being bendable in accordance with the bending operation by a user, wherein a bending angle the first bending portion assumes when bent is set is larger than a bending angle the second bending portion assumes when bent is set and a bending angle said first bending portion assumes when bent is set and a bending angle said second bending portion assumes when bent is set are determined so that when said second bending portion is bent by an angle θ and said first bending portion is bent by θ+90° or more in a direction opposite to the direction in which said second bending portion is bent, and when the distal portion of said insertion member is angled in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said insertion member, the distal portion of said insertion member will be distanced from a tangent to the longitudinal axis of said insertion member.