Patent attributes
An endoscope includes an active bending portion provided in an insertion portion and bendable according to a bending operation, the active bending portion including bending pieces adjacent to each other and pivotably connected together via a plurality of rotation shafts, the rotation shafts being located at positions differing by 90° in a circumferential direction J of the bending pieces, and a passive bending portion provided closer to the proximal end side than the active bending portion and passively bendable when an external force is applied thereto, the passive bending portion including bending pieces adjacent to each other and pivotably connected together via a plurality of rotation shafts, the rotation shafts being located at positions differing by 60° in the circumferential direction J.
