Endoscope

Claim 1

An endoscope having a distal end section, control unit provided at the proximal end section, a tube section connecting the control unit with the distal end section, a port formed in the distal end section so as to be opened to the end face thereof, a channel the forward end portion of which communicates with the port and the opposite end of which reaches the interior of the control unit through the tube section, and an elongated flexible tubular member inserted into the channel so as to have its tip portion made to extend through the port out of the distal end section, a control member disposed in the port and having a slot for slidable insertion of the tip portion of the tubular member, said slot being defined by at least upper and lower walls; support means for rockably holding the control member within the port in a plane including the axial line of the distal end section; and an actuating wire one end of which is connected to the control member and the other end of which reaches the interior of the control unit through the tube section so as to be subjected to the pulling operation of said control unit, said actuating wire rocking the control member from its original position to another position due to the pulling operation of said control unit, thereby swinging the tip portion of the tubular member from one swing limit to another the forward end portion of the channel for insertion of the tubular member being inclined relative to the axis of the distal end section, thereby enabling the tubular member passing through said forward end portion of the channel to be positively guided in the direction of said inclination, and when the control member is in the original position, said slot of the control member is brought into alignment with the inclined forward end portion of the channel thereby causing the tip portion of the tubular member to extend to one swing limit.