Endoscope

An endoscope comprising:

• a flexible member that is bendable in an arbitrary direction;
• a bending member connected to a front end of the flexible member, the bending member being bendable with one degree of freedom;
• an operating unit for an operator to grip placed behind the flexible member;
• and
• a rotating device coupled to the flexible member so as to be rotated in an axial direction of the flexible member and serving to rotate the bending member in the axial direction,
• wherein the operating unit includes a housing defining an external appearance of the operating unit, a bending operation unit mounted to the housing and connected to the bending member to enable bending of the bending member, and a rotation operation unit mounted to the housing and connected to the rotating device, and
• wherein the bending operation unit includes a bending wire connected to the bending member.

An endoscope comprising:

• a flexible member that is bendable in an arbitrary direction;
• a bending member connected to a front end of the flexible member, the bending member being bendable with one degree of freedom;
• a torsional device coupled to the flexible member to transmit axial torque to the flexible member;
• and
• an operating unit including a rotation operation unit connected to the torsional device,
• wherein the flexible member includes a first flexible portion secured to the operating unit, a second flexible portion connected to a front end of the first flexible portion so as to undergo torsion when the torque is applied thereto, and a third flexible portion connected to a front end of the second flexible portion so as to be rotated in the axial direction, and
• wherein the torsional device includes a coupling member secured to the operating unit and the first flexible portion so as to secure the first flexible portion to the operating unit, and a rotating member rotatably coupled to the coupling member while being secured to the third flexible portion.