Endoscope with bendable insertion unit

Abstract

An endoscope 100 is provided with an insertion unit 110 including an imaging unit 120 and an operation unit 130 that bends a part of the insertion unit 110 . At least a part of the insertion unit 110 includes a tube 110 a formed of a resin. The tube 110 a includes a plurality of channels 110 b formed of the resin included in the tube 110 a.

1 . An endoscope comprising:
 an insertion unit including an imaging unit; and an operation unit configured to bend a part of the insertion unit,   wherein at least a part of the insertion unit includes a tube formed of a resin, the tube including a plurality of channels formed of the resin included in the tube,   wherein the insertion unit includes a distal tip including the imaging unit, a bending section that is bent by the operation unit, and a flexible section disposed between the bending section and the operation unit,   at least a part of the bending section and a part of the flexible section include the tube,   the resin excluding the channels has a porosity of 0% or more and 80% or less,   a rigid member inserted through the channels; and an angle wire inserted through the rigid member and connected to a bending mechanism of the bending section,   wherein the operation unit is configured to operate the angle wire.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The endoscope according to  claim 1 , wherein the resin in the bending section has an average porosity larger than an average porosity of the resin in the flexible section. 
     
     
         4 . The endoscope according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the resin is a porous resin. 
     
     
         5 . The endoscope according to  claim 4 , wherein the porous resin has a porosity changing in an axial direction or in a radial direction of the tube. 
     
     
         6 . The endoscope according to  claim 1 , wherein the rigid member has flexural rigidity higher than flexural rigidity of the tube, being inserted through the channels in the flexible section. 
     
     
         7 . The endoscope according to  claim 1 , wherein the insertion unit includes a breaking section that is broken when the imaging unit is removed. 
     
     
         8 . An endoscope comprising:
 an insertion unit comprising:   a distal tip including an imaging unit;   a bending section;   a flexible section; and   an operation unit configured to cause the bending section to bend,   wherein the flexible section is disposed between the bending section and the operation unit, and   wherein at least a part of the bending section and a part of the flexible section include a tube formed of a resin, the tube including a plurality of channels formed of the resin included in the tube, the resin excluding the channels having a porosity of 0% or more and 80% or less, wherein the endoscope further comprises:   a rigid member inserted through the channels; and   an angle wire inserted through the rigid member and connected to a bending mechanism of the bending section, wherein the operation unit is configured to operate the angle wire.   
     
     
         9 . The endoscope according to  claim 8 , wherein the rigid member has flexural rigidity higher than flexural rigidity of the tube, being inserted through the channels in the flexible section. 
     
     
         10 . The endoscope according to  claim 8 , wherein the resin in the bending section has an average porosity larger than an average porosity of the resin in the flexible section. 
     
     
         11 . The endoscope according to  claim 8 , wherein at least a part of the resin is a porous resin having a porosity changing in an axial direction or in a radial direction of the tube. 
     
     
         12 . The endoscope according to  claim 8 , the endoscope comprising:
 a single-use portion including the tube that is replaced for each use; and   a reusable portion including the imaging unit that is collected for each use to be reused.   
     
     
         13 . The endoscope according to  claim 8 , wherein the insertion unit includes a breaking section that is broken when the imaging unit is removed.