Endoscope having a controllable distal end piece

Claim 1

In an endoscope, an instrument shaft having a controllable distal end piece which is bendable relative to the instrument shaft, a guide tube fixed at both ends relative to the instrument shaft and at least one tension wire guided through said tube and being actuable proximally of the instrument shaft to bend the distal end piece, one side of the distal end piece being bendable about a larger radius of curvature than the opposite side of the distal end piece, the one side being adapted to act as a return spring and the opposite side being pliable to facilitate bending of the distal end piece, the distal end piece comprising a braided hose, ends of which are reinforced to provide respective distal and proximal annular bodies, said one side of the distal end piece having a reinforcement means adapted to act as a return spring and to connect said annular bodies, said at least one tension wire being engaged with the distal annular body and the proximal annular body being fixed with respect to the instrument shaft.