Abstract: A bending operation mechanism for an endoscope, which is a pulley unit, includes: an up-down bending pulley which is a rotation body; an angle wire which is a bending-portion pulling member having a distal end side connected to a bending portion and a proximal end side that is pulled by the up-down bending pulley; and a spiral spring which is a slack absorption member having a first end connected to the an proximal end of the angle wire and a second end side connected to the up-down bending pulley and configured to pull the angle wire in the direction toward the up-down bending pulley.

Abstract: An insertion device includes: a tube having a channel hole and a communication hole; a frame member having a tube insertion hole and a forceps channel and disposed to cover a periphery of the communication hole; and a closing member configured to close the channel hole in the tube at a position closer to a proximal end side than the communication hole and having a distal end surface disposed to face the communication hole.

Abstract: An insertion apparatus in the invention includes: a multi-lumen tube provided in an insertion portion and formed in a bendable manner, the insertion portion being inserted into a subject; a distal end member arranged so as to cover a distal end of the multi-lumen tube; a braided tube into which the multi-lumen tube is inserted, a distal end edge portion of the braided tube being disposed between the distal end member and the multi-lumen tube; and a wire configured to bend the multi-lumen tube by traction, in which the braided tube includes a gap through which the wire passes from an outside of the braided tube to an inside of the braided tube.

Abstract: An insertion device includes: a tube having a channel hole and a communication hole; a frame member having a tube insertion hole and a forceps channel and disposed to cover a periphery of the communication hole; and a closing member configured to close the channel hole in the tube at a position closer to a proximal end side than the communication hole and having a distal end surface disposed to face the communication hole.

Abstract: A plug of a connector for connecting an optical waveguide provided in a medical instrument includes: a coupling portion configured to be inserted into a receptacle of the connector; a connecting surface formed at an end in a first direction in which the coupling portion is inserted into the receptacle; an opening portion provided on the connecting surface, the opening portion having a recessed shape; and a holding portion configured to hold the optical waveguide such that an end face of the optical waveguide is directed in the first direction. The holding portion and the optical waveguide are disposed on a side of a second direction with respect to the connecting surface, the second direction being opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: A wire fixing structure includes: a first hole portion through which a wire passes; and a second hole portion which is formed in a direction orthogonal to the first hole portion and communicates with the first hole portion. The wire includes: a first portion which is inserted into and is disposed in the first hole portion; a second portion which is extended from the first hole portion and wound around the outer peripheral portion of a wire fixing member; and a third portion which is inserted into and is disposed in the first hole portion again after the second portion is wound around the outer peripheral portion. The fastening member is inserted into the second hole portion and fixes the first portion and the third portion by pressing in the first hole portion.

Abstract: A bending operation mechanism of an endoscope including: a first pulley configured to pull a first wire by being rotated in a first rotation direction; a second pulley, which is coaxial with the first pulley, configured to pull a second wire by being rotated in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction; and a rotation shaft member including a first protrusion that engages only with the first engagement portion of the first pulley when the rotation shaft member is rotated in the first rotation direction from a neutral position when a bending portion is not bent and a second protrusion that engages only with the second engagement portion of the second pulley when the rotation shaft member is rotated in the second rotation direction from the neutral position.

Abstract: A cushioning material includes a first fiber and a second fiber having a core portion and a cover layer covering the core portion and containing a polyester. The cover layer functions as a binder for melt-bonding a plurality of first fibers.

Abstract: An endoscope is provided with: a wire; a distal end nodal ring, in which the wire is arranged immediately below a first through hole including openings at predetermined positions on the inner circumferential face and an outer circumferential face of the distal end nodal ring; a distal end member including a small diameter portion arranged to be fitted in a distal end side inner circumferential face of the distal end nodal ring and a large diameter portion provided on a distal end side of the small diameter portion, the large diameter portion having a diameter larger than a diameter of the small diameter portion; an accommodating portion formed on an outer circumferential face side of the small diameter portion, the first end portion of the wire being accommodated in the accommodating portion; and a relief portion formed by the accommodating portion extending to the large diameter portion.

Abstract: A buffer material of the present disclosure is a buffer material including cellulose fibers, and a binding material that binds the cellulose fibers, in which the binding material contains starch and natural wax. A method of producing a buffer material of the present disclosure is a method including a defibration step of defibrating a raw material containing cellulose fibers by dry type defibration, a mixing step of mixing the cellulose fibers defibrated in the defibration step with a binding material in a gas phase to obtain a mixture, a molding step of compressing the mixture to form a sheet, and a lamination step of laminating a plurality of the sheets to form a buffer material, in which starch and natural wax are used as the binding material.

Abstract: A buffer material is a material including a buffer sheet that contains cellulose fibers and a binding material binding the cellulose fibers and has a sheet shape, and a nonwoven fabric sheet that is provided on at least one surface side of the buffer sheet and is formed of nonwoven fabric, in which the cellulose fibers are aligned in a direction intersecting a thickness direction of the buffer sheet, and the alignment direction of the cellulose fibers is along a direction in which an external force is received.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes: an endoscope including a first operation portion that is coupled to a first insertion portion to be inserted into a subject; a medical device including a second operation portion that is coupled to a second insertion portion to be inserted into the subject through the first insertion portion, the second operation portion including at least one locking member; and a belt-like body having flexibility and including at least three end portions in which at least one end portion includes a locked portion to be locked to the locking portion, the belt-like body being configured to be wound around the endoscope to hold and fix the second operation portion of the medical device in a state where the at least three end portions are connected to the second operation portion.

Abstract: An insertion apparatus includes: a tube in which a water feeding communication hole opens on an outer peripheral surface of the tube; a tube connector in which a water feeding branch conduit which allows an inner surface of a tube insertion hole to communicate with an outside is formed, and a second stopper portion which protrudes toward the inside of the tube insertion hole is formed; an O ring which is positioned by contacting with the second stopper portion; a spacer which is positioned by contacting with the O ring, and in which a communication hole which allows an inner surface side and an outer surface side of a wall portion to communicate with each other is formed; and an O ring which is positioned by contacting with the spacer.

Abstract: An accommodating body includes: a first accommodating body that has a first bottom portion; and a first buffering material that has a first pressure receiving surface coming into contact with an accommodated article accommodated in the first accommodating body and that has at least one first sheet-shaped web that contains fibers and a bonding material that bonds the fibers, and in which in the first sheet-shaped web, the fibers are oriented in a plane direction of the first sheet-shaped web, and the first buffering material is used in an orientation with which an end surface of the first sheet-shaped web serves as the first pressure receiving surface.

Abstract: An endoscope includes a pulley provided in an operation portion, having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of an endoscope insertion portion, and configured to wind a wire connected to a bending portion; and a wire guard that is arranged to cover a predetermined range of an outer peripheral portion of the pulley, and includes a guide wall arranged to extend within a range of a radius of the pulley from a contact point position at which the wire in contact with the pulley is separated from the pulley in a longitudinal axis direction of the operation portion. The wire guard includes two members each formed in a substantially semicircular plate shape, and coupling parts formed in arc shapes extending from both end portions of the two members and configured to couple the two members.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes a mother endoscope, a baby endoscope and a fixing member. The mother endoscope includes a first insertion section, a first operation section, a treatment instrument insertion channel and an opening. The baby endoscope includes a second insertion section and a second operation section. The first operation section includes a projection portion. The second operation section includes a recess portion that is a recessed face formed such that at least part of the recessed face comes into face contact with a surface of the projection portion. The second operation section is fixed to the first operation section in a state where the recess portion is in contact with the surface of the projection portion.

Abstract: A bending operation mechanism for an endoscope, which is a pulley unit, includes: an up-down bending pulley which is a rotation body; an angle wire which is a bending-portion pulling member having a distal end side connected to a bending portion and a proximal end side that is pulled by the up-down bending pulley; and a spiral spring which is a slack absorption member having a first end connected to the an proximal end of the angle wire and a second end side connected to the up-down bending pulley and configured to pull the angle wire in the direction toward the up-down bending pulley.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an image pickup module having an optical axis that defines a visual field direction and provided with an electric contact, a cable that is disposed on a proximal end side of the image pickup module and transfers an image pickup signal generated by the image pickup module, a channel provided beside the image pickup module, and a movable board electrically connecting the electric contact and the cable to transfer the image pickup signal and including a movable portion capable of forming a curved surface that is freely displaceable in an optical axis direction. The movable portion of the movable board is arranged at a position where a distance between the curved surface and the channel is longer than a distance between the curved surface and the optical axis.