To provide a flexible tube for an endoscope, excellent in resilience and dimensional stability, etc., and a method of manufacturing a skin layer thereof.
The surface of the flexible tube 30 of an insertion part is covered with the skin layer 32. The skin layer 32 includes first-third layers 33-35. Projections 35P are formed on the innermost third layer 35, so that the surface of the third layer is not flat. On the other hand, the surfaces of the first and second layers 33 and 34 are both flat. The first and second layers 33 and 34 are formed of thermoplastic elastomer crosslinked by heating. By crosslinking thermoplastic elastomer when the first and second layers 33 and 34 without unevenness on the surface are manufactured, the permanent distortion of the skin layer 32 is eliminated, and the resilience is improved.
OGINO TAKAYUKI
HOSOI MASAYOSHI
OCHI KUNITAKA
YAMADA TAKUJI
Takuya Fuji
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