Endoscope

An endoscope including an elongated insertion section inserted into the cavity of a human body and provided with a nozzle at the foremost end thereof, an operating section connected to the other end of said insertion section and controlling it from outside the human body, and a universal code extending from said operating section, said endoscope further comprising

• a fluid source;
• a connector connected to that end of said universal code, opposite of said operating section, and also connected to said fluid source;
• a fluid supply tube means extending through said insertion section, operating section and universal code and communicating with said nozzle and also with said fluid source through said connector;
• and
• a switch valve means arranged within said fluid supply tube means, dividing said fluid supply tube means into upper and lower side tube means;
• wherein said switch valve means comprises a valve seat attached to said operating section and having an inner hole communicating with an inlet port means connected to said upper side tube means, and an outlet port means communicating with said lower side tube means, and a valve assembly means inserted into said inner hole of the valve seat, said valve assembly means being capable of moving between a first position where said inlet and outlet port means are shut off and a second position where they communicate with one another, said valve assembly means having a leak passage, which can be selectively closed, for allowing fluid to be released via the inlet port means to the outlet port means, and thereby released to the outside of said first position.