Sinker cam segments in a circular knitting machine are located with respect to the generally radial direction by a generally radially inwardly facing location surface disposed radially outward of the segments. Each segment's radially outer end defines a contact region that abuts the locating surface. The contact region can be complementary surface contour to that of the locating surface, or a pair of discrete, spaced contact points protruding out from the radially outer end of the segment. The contact region is a reference for positioning the sinker cam segment with respect to the generally radial direction.

An article of footwear including a full monofilament upper is described. The full monofilament upper incorporates a knitted component including a monofilament knit element. The monofilament knit element is formed by knitting with a monofilament strand. The monofilament knit element is formed of unitary knit construction with the remaining portions of the knitted component, including peripheral portions that are knit using a natural or synthetic twisted fiber yarn. An inlaid tensile element can extend through the knitted component, including portions of the monofilament knit element. The monofilament knit element may be knitted with a monofilament strand according to a variety of knit structures.

A knitted component including a knit element and a gusseted tongue is incorporated into an upper of an article of footwear. The knit element defines a portion of an exterior surface of the upper and an opposite interior surface of the upper, with the interior surface defining a void for receiving a foot. The knit element and the gusseted tongue are formed together as a knitted component during a knitting process as a one-piece element. The gusseted tongue is formed of unitary knit construction with the knit element and is joined with the knit element in an instep area of the upper. The knitting process includes steps of forming portions of the knitted component, transferring portions of the knitted component to opposite needle beds, shifting needle beds along a lateral direction to cause portions to overlap, and joining the overlapped portions by knitting to form the gusseted tongue.

A knitting machine includes a take-down assembly that includes a first take-down roller and a second take-down roller. The first take-down roller is configured to rotatably contact and apply tension to a first portion of a knit component. The second take-down roller is configured to rotatably contact and apply tension to a second portion of the knit component. The knitting machine further includes a first actuator that actuates to selectively adjust tension applied by the first take-down roller on the first portion of the knit component. Furthermore, the knitting machine includes a second actuator that actuates to selectively adjust tension applied by the second take-down roller on the second portion of the knit component. Additionally, the knitting machine includes a controller that is operably coupled to the first actuator and the second actuator to selectively and independently control actuation of the first actuator and the second actuator.

An apparatus for removably securing resilient cushioning and gripping support to a crochet hook to facilitate its manipulation. Handgrip sleeve for use with a crochet hook is a lightweight, resilient gripping sleeve having an interior cavity for the accommodation of a crochet hook. Complete with gripping members and an elastomeric composition, handgrip sleeve for use with a crochet hook provides increased comfort and decreased fatigue for a user during the completion of a handicraft project.

An article of footwear including a knitted component having a monofilament knit element with peripheral knit portions is described. The knitted component includes a monofilament knit element formed by knitting with a monofilament strand. The monofilament knit element is formed of unitary knit construction with the remaining portions of the knitted component, including peripheral portions that are knit using a natural or synthetic twisted fiber yarn. An inlaid tensile element can extend through the knitted component, including portions of the monofilament knit element. The monofilament knit element may be knitted with a monofilament strand according to a variety of knit structures.

An article of footwear including a full monofilament upper is described. The full monofilament upper incorporates a knitted component including a monofilament knit element. The monofilament knit element is formed by knitting with a monofilament strand. The monofilament knit element is formed of unitary knit construction with the remaining portions of the knitted component, including peripheral portions that are knit using a natural or synthetic twisted fiber yarn. An inlaid tensile element can extend through the knitted component, including portions of the monofilament knit element. The monofilament knit element may be knitted with a monofilament strand according to a variety of knit structures. A fusible strand may be knit with the monofilament knit element. Upon heating, the fusible strand can combine and surround the monofilament strand within the monofilament knit element.

A knitted component including a knit element and a gusseted tongue is incorporated into an upper of an article of footwear. The knit element defines a portion of an exterior surface of the upper and an opposite interior surface of the upper, with the interior surface defining a void for receiving a foot. The knit element and the gusseted tongue are formed together as a knitted component during a knitting process as a one-piece element. The gusseted tongue is formed of unitary knit construction with the knit element and is joined with the knit element in an instep area of the upper. The knitting process includes steps of forming portions of the knitted component, transferring portions of the knitted component to opposite needle beds, shifting needle beds along a lateral direction to cause portions to overlap, and joining the overlapped portions by knitting to form the gusseted tongue.

In the case of a single circular knitting machine consisting of a central rotatable needle cylinder (Z), around which a sinker ring (PR) comprising sinkers (P) as well as stationary cam systems (S) are arranged, which act on the needles (1), which are in each case assigned to the sinkers (P) and which can be moved vertically up and down, so as to replace the pitches, which hit one another rigidly, with a sinker grid system, which is flexible per se, which is automatically oriented in the needle gaps, a rocker (44) comprising an upper and a lower control bump (45) being provided in each case on the end of the sinkers (P), which is spaced apart from the needle, the sinker ring (PR), at the end below the sinkers (P), which is spaced apart from the needle, is embodied as a pivot point projection (40) comprising pivot point slits (41), in which the sinkers (P) are accommodated with their pivot inlet (43) so that they are capable of being tilted and the sinkers (P) being are laterally fixed in the needle gaps with sliding noses (47) at the end, which is spaced apart from the needle, transport the last knitting loops to the needle shaft (1) behind the needle latches in response to the knitting loop formation.

An article of footwear including a knitted component having a monofilament knit element with peripheral knit portions is described. The knitted component includes a monofilament knit element formed by knitting with a monofilament strand. The monofilament knit element is formed of unitary knit construction with the remaining portions of the knitted component, including peripheral portions that are knit using a natural or synthetic twisted fiber yarn. An inlaid tensile element can extend through the knitted component, including portions of the monofilament knit element. The monofilament knit element may be knitted with a monofilament strand according to a variety of knit structures.

Described are methods, implants, insertion tools, and related systems and kits, for placing an implant to treat urinary incontinence; the implants include soft tissue anchors that are capable of engaging needles of the insertion tools, and the implants are designed to place a central support portion at a location to support a urethra with extension portions and soft tissue anchors extending to tissue at regions of an obturator foramen.

The present disclosure is directed to a flexible filament that includes a length of material configured to be used in forming at least a portion of a textile product to have at least a portion of a visual pattern that is visible on at least one of a first side or a second side of the textile product. The material includes a plurality of stitch indicators formed on the material to separate the material into a plurality of segmented regions, at least one of the stitch indicators or the segmented regions forming at least the portion of the visual pattern visible on the at least one of the first side or the second side of the textile product.

There is described herein a knitting technique for creating a garment having one or more 3D textile electrodes integrated therein. The knitting technique involves knitting the item with integrated electrodes and transmission channels in one single step. The electrode is knit using conducting thread while a base fabric is knit using non-conducting thread. The electrode is knit on a first needle bed and the base fabric is knit on a second needle bed opposite to and facing the first needle bed, the two needle beds being separated by a few millimeters. During the knitting process, the surface knit on the first needle bed and the surface knit on the second needle bed may be linked using an isolating thread network that is simply deposited, without forming a mesh, on the fabric, in order to provide the three-dimensional effect.

Methods of manufacturing a knitted component for an article of footwear that include knitting an upper with an integral knit tongue during a knitting process on a knitting machine are described. The knitting process forms the integral knit tongue of unitary knit construction with the upper so that the integral knit tongue extends through a throat area of the knitted component. The integral knit tongue can include raised elements formed of unitary knit construction with the tongue.

A fryer for deep frying a turkey has an outer cooking pot for containing hot oil. A splatter sleeve is telescopically slidable into the pot, the sleeve having a surrounding side wall, an open top surrounded by a top sleeve rim and an open bottom surrounded by a bottom sleeve rim. A lid is sealingly seatable upon the top sleeve rim and has a lid hole. A lid latch latches the lid to the top sleeve rim. A turkey support has a turkey support base, extends upwardly from the base to a handle top end and is insertable through the hole in the lid. When these components and a turkey are assembled, suspended from the handle and lowered into hot cooking oil, the sleeve is sufficiently long that it enters the oil before the turkey thereby assuring a complete splatter barrier.

A preservation system for storage and logistic transport of nutritional substances. The preservation system obtains information about the nutritional substance to be preserved, senses and measures the external environment to the preservation system, senses and measures the internal environment to the preservation system, senses and measures the state of the nutritional substance, and stores such information throughout the period of preservation. Using this accumulated information, the preservation system can measure, or estimate, changes in nutritional content (usually degradation) during the period of preservation. Additionally, the preservation system can use this information to dynamically modify the preservation system to minimize detrimental changes to the nutritional content of the nutritional substance, and in some cases actually improve the nutritional substance attributes.

An apparatus for preparing a melon juice concentrate, such as watermelon juice concentrate, includes a finisher with brushes for separating melon flesh from melon rind including leaving at least 1/16 inch flesh on the rind and screens for separating juice from flesh. The apparatus also includes a steamer to reduce bacteria count on whole melon, a chopper for chopping melons into pieces less than about 16 inches square, an extractor for extracting juice from the flesh, and an evaporator for concentrating melon juice to form melon juice concentrate. The steamer includes a cylinder frame, steam jets directing steam through apertures in the cylinder frame at whole melon therein, and a motivator to move the whole melon along the cylinder frame. The apparatus can also process cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and other melon.

The present invention is a froth wand for an espresso machine that can generate a high velocity stream of steam to foam a beverage at the beverage brewing apparatus. The wand includes an adapter for attaching to the beverage brewing machine at a steam supply outlet, and a conduit for communicating the steam to a steam tube. The steam tube has a cylindrical body with an annular recessed exit, and is surrounded by a cylindrical sheath. The sheath includes a cylindrical plug with a small longitudinal aperture that fits into the outlet of the steam tube. The mating of the sheath's plug and the steam tube forces the steam through the aperture, accelerating the steam at the exit.

A machine for the homogenization and thermal treatment of liquid and semi-liquid food products, for example ice creams, whipped cream, creams, chocolate, yogurt and the like, comprises a containment tank for the mixture and a centrifugal pump put in fluid communication with the bottom of the containment tank for drawing mixture from the tank and putting it back into the tank, heating and cooling means acting at the pump for heating and cooling the mixture in transit in the pump. The heating and cooling means comprise a thermal machine with reversible thermodynamic cycle and using carbon dioxide as refrigerant.

A two stage scrubber process for ethanol fermentation has a first stage using fusel oil to remove the hazardous air pollutants and recover the majority of the ethanol. A second stage uses water as the scrubbing solvent to recover any residual ethanol that is stripped from the first stage.

A beverage flavoring apparatus comprising of an elongated tubular body, having at least three elongated hollow sections and a container for holding liquid flavor. The top hollow section is for suction and at least one of the hollow sections is adapted to receive liquid flavor and it has a smaller cross sectional area and shorter length which enables the flavoring liquid to be introduced into the beverage stream in minute quantity. The other hollow section is adapted to receive beverage. The container is mounted or loaded on the elongated tubular body so that the section adapted to receive liquid flavor is immersed in the liquid flavor while the other hollow section is dipped in a beverage. As oral suction is being applied, both the liquid flavor and the beverage are drawn up the tubular body and mixes at the hollow suction end before ingestion.

The invention relates to a method for determining the residual time until a cooking process of a foodstuff (12) has been finished. At first a set temperature value for a core (14) of the foodstuff (12) is defined. Next the actual temperatures in the core (14) of the foodstuff (12) at predetermined times are measured and the time dependence of the measured temperature in the core (14) of the foodstuff (12) is determined. At last the time dependence of the measured temperature is compared with the set temperature value and “the residual time of the cooking process is estimated. The invention relates further to a corresponding apparatus for determining the residual time until a cooking process of a foodstuff (12) has been finished.

A multi-functional electric cooker includes a heating boiler body (1) and a cover (2). The cooker also includes a rice soup collecting container (3) which is mounted between the heating boiler body (1) and the cover (2), a sealing ring (7) which is set between the rice soup collecting container (3) and the heating boiler body (1), and a rice soup sucker (6). An opening of one end of the sucker is located at the bottom of the rice soup collecting container (3) and the height of the opening is adjusted along with the amount of the rice in the heating boiler body. An opening of the other end of the sucker is located in the rice soup collecting container (3).

A system and method for brewing beverages utilizing inertial separation and an adjustable-volume brewing chamber to selectively retain or release particulate matter, oils, and/or other components of the brewed beverage, whereby mechanical filtration may be avoided and smaller particulates may be separated from the beverage. Thus, less material is needed to achieve similar levels of infusion and brewing time may be reduced.

A method of converting a conventional atmospheric frying device to a vacuum frying device is provided. The method includes positioning a hood on top of a conventional frying device to provide an enclosure for drawing a vacuum within the modified devices. In addition, the method can include strengthening the existing vat so that it is capable of withstanding the forces associated with vacuum frying.

A fryer unit includes a vat and heat exchange system with multiple passes within the fryer vat. Additional heat exchange passes may be provided in ductwork along the exterior surface of the lateral vat sidewalls.

The present invention provides a device and method for simulating cooking stuffing in a bird, such as a turkey. Stuffing prepared with the device and method of the invention has both the appearance and taste of cooked-in-the-bird stuffing. In addition, the device and method of the invention allows the user to prepare simulated cooked-in-the-bird stuffing at any time, in any quantity and in less time compared to the several hours usually needed to cook stuffing in a bird. The invention, therefore, provides all the benefits of cooked-in-the-bird stuffing without the safety concerns of bacterial contamination when cooked in a bird.

A treatment device for treating food products with conditioned air comprises a housing which delimits a treatment space and is provided with an entry and an exit, at least one conveying device for conveying the products from the entry throughout the treatment space to the exit, the conveying device between the entry and the exit following a conveying path with several windings which are situated one above the other, air-circulation device for circulating conditioned air throughout the treatment space via a hollow drum. According to a first aspect, air-conditioning device are provided upstream of the air-circulation device for conditioning the air. According to a second aspect, at least one winding of the conveying path near the entry has a pitch which is different to the pitch of the downstream windings.

An apparatus for preparing infant formula to be supplied to a bottle, and methods and circuits for operating the same, are disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing having a shape for integrating together components of the apparatus. A fluid reservoir for holding fluid and configured to be coupling to the housing is provided. Further provided is a formula disc disposed at a first location of the housing. The first location defined above a dispense location of the bottle, and the formula disc having a top end and a dispense end, the formula disc further includes a plurality of slots for holding the infant formula in a powder state. The apparatus has an end plate that is coupled to the dispense end of the formula disc, and the end plate has a dispense hole, such that the end plate is rotatable relative to the formula disc.

A method and apparatus for forming a beverage. Movement of a brew chamber may automatically enable the provision of beverage precursor liquid into a reservoir in a brewer, which is then used (heated or not) to form a beverage. For example, closing of the brew chamber may cause a lid for a water reservoir to be fully opened or otherwise permit movement of the lid to allow access to the reservoir, allowing a user to provide water into the reservoir. The reservoir lid may open with an abrupt action, causing attention to be drawn to the reservoir lid. In another arrangement, closure of the brew chamber may cause actuation of a baffle, pump, valve or other device to provide a suitable amount of water to a reservoir for beverage formation. In another arrangement, opening of the brew chamber may cause the reservoir lid to be automatically and simultaneously opened with the brew chamber.

The two-piece electric coffee maker includes a Dallah (a traditional Arabian coffee pot for making Arabian coffee) and an electric stove. The coffee pot has a temperature sensor that extends from the base of the coffee pot handle into the pot. The base of the handle also has an electrical connector extending downward from the handle. The electric stove has a housing, a ceramic heating element or plate, a display console, and a mating electrical connector facing upward so that the connectors engage each other when the pot is placed on the heating element. An electronic control unit in the stove housing regulates boiling water for the coffee, reducing the heat after the water has started to boil, annunciating an alarm signal when the temperature of the water is suitable to add coffee grounds to the pot, and monitors brewing time for the coffee.

The invention relates to a capsule for the preparation of a beverage. The capsule includes first and second covering walls connected for forming a cavity containing a beverage ingredient and a contactless identifying element for identifying the capsule by detecting the identifying element using the detector of a beverage producing device. The identifying element is preferably disposed in the cavity.

A system for preparing a beverage suitable for consumption, for instance coffee and/or tea, is disclosed. The system comprises an apparatus for dispensing beverage under pressure to a nozzle of the system, and at least one receiving chamber which is placeable or is placed downstream of this nozzle. During use, the nozzle spouts a jet of the beverage with relatively high velocity to and/or into the receiving chamber. The receiving chamber is provided with at least one outflow opening for dispensing beverage received in this chamber. The system is at least configured to substantially counteract or prevent formation of foam of this beverage, in particular when the beverage is spouted to and/or into the receiving chamber. Further disclosed is an assembly at least provided with a holder, to a holder, a receiving body, the use of a said system and to a method for preparing a beverage suitable for consumption.

The invention relates to a domestic cooking pot (1) comprising means of controlling (7) at least part of its operation, wherein said control means (7) have a mobile mounting between a plurality of positions, wherein said pot (1) is characterized in that it is further fitted with an information window (8) and at least an indicator (10) that is representative of one of the positions of the control means (7), and in that the window (8), the indicator (10) and the control means (7) work together so that said indicator (10) appears in the window (8) when the control means (7) are in the corresponding position.

In a method for controlling a cooking process of a cooking item contained in a cooking container, the sound of the cooking process is detected by means of at least one acoustic sensor and the course of the sound is directly analyzed for determining of a temperature and in particular the boiling point of the cooking item.

The inventive food holding apparatus comprises a holding area that accommodates food and warms the food with heat radiated by a bottom surface and with warm convection air. Part of the convection air forms an air curtain having a Bernoulli effect that removes excess moisture from the external surface of the food and maintains the food in a warm, crisp condition. The apparatus conditions food to attain a biologically safe noncooking temperature and to retain its freshly cooked texture and internal moisture for more than two hours. This lets restaurants serve the food longer to its customers, allowing efficient batch cooking and significantly decreasing food waste.

Machine (1) for extracting puree, or fruit juice starting from vegetable or animal food, such as a rough extractor or a fine extractor. The machine (1) comprises essentially a cylindrical body (2) having an inlet (3) for the product to treat, an outlet (4) for a part of the product that can be used and an outlet (5) for another part of product to dispose of. The rotor (6) is wheeled to a motor (80) by a shaft (15). The product that is put in the cylindrical body (2) of the machine (1) is pushed by centrifugal force by a plurality of blades (20) of the rotor (6) to pass through a sieve (7) having holes (8) and a cylindrical or conical shape. The blades (20) of the rotor (6) comprise, in particular a first portion (21) having a first concavity and a second portion (22) having a second concavity opposite to the first.

Disclosed is a beverage extraction filter that can extract in a plurality of extraction machine types. The beverage extraction filter comprises a filter unit (40) where coffee powder is housed and a planar lid unit (41) mounted to the top section of the filter unit (40). The lid unit (41) is formed in a layer structure created by a non-permeable first sheet member (42) positioned on the filter unit side (40) and a permeable second sheet member (43) layered on top of the first sheet member (42), and a hole section (42a) through which hot water is made to pass is formed in the center of the first sheet member (42).

A container assembly (10) for retaining a liquid (16) during aging of the liquid (16) comprises a container (12) and an oxygenator (230). The container (12) includes a container body (14) that defines a chamber (14A) that receives and retains liquid (16). The oxygenator (230) is positioned substantially within the chamber (14A). The oxygenator (230) includes a fluid source (662), one or more diffusers (672), and a valve (670). The one or more diffusers (672) are in fluid communication with the fluid source (662). The valve (670) selectively controls the introduction of a fluid from the fluid source (662) into the liquid (16) through the one or more diffusers (672). The container assembly (10) further comprises an insert retainer assembly (338) and one or more flavor inserts (440) that are received and retained by the insert retainer assembly (338).

The present invention relates to a device to regulate the level of a liquid inside a boiler of a coffee machine, having a transparent duct connected to the boiler and designed to visibly display the level of the liquid inside the boiler, a capacitive sensor that can be positioned outside the transparent duct in determined positions and designed to generate electric signals representing the presence or absence of liquid in correspondence to the position of the sensor along the transparent duct. The sensor of the device has first measuring elements and second measuring elements, both of capacitive type; the second measuring elements are positioned at a predetermined distance from the first measuring elements, and a measuring device designed to measure the impedance between the first and second measuring elements and to generate signals indicating the presence or absence of liquid in correspondence to the position of the sensor. The invention also relates to the machine that includes this device.

Disclosed in this specification is a drip filter coffee maker that includes features to improve the taste of the brewed coffee and to enhance to ease of use. In one embodiment, an integral plate burr grinder sends coffee ground down a coffee chute that feeds the filter cone. A chute door at the end of the coffee chute prevents vapors or condensation from entering the coffee chute. In another embodiment, the eject tray that carries the filter cone may be coupled with a dampened spring biasing mechanism which moderates the eject motion. Further, a pivot float may be provided within the carafe so that the user may read the carafe fill level easily.

The present invention provides apparatus and methods for adjusting the atmosphere within a substantially sealed chamber containing respiring produce. The chamber of the present invention includes inlet means to permit ambient atmosphere to enter the chamber, and outlet means to permit chamber atmosphere to exit the chamber. Methods using apparatus of the present invention comprise: (a) monitoring the oxygen concentration within the chamber;(b) following detection that the oxygen concentration in the chamber has fallen below a predetermined amount, opening the inlet means so that the amount of oxygen in the chamber increases; and(c) removing carbon dioxide from the chamber atmosphere substantially at a predetermined rate, the predetermined rate having been selected such that the carbon dioxide concentration within the chamber atmosphere does not substantially exceed a predetermined amount. The methods may also comprise opening the inlet means for a time that is approximately proportional to the difference between the detected oxygen concentration and an oxygen setpoint.

System for application of ozone on grains made up essentially by one or more ozone mixers with particulates separator (1) for injecting air in the grains mass, one or more ozone mixers (2) for injecting air in the grains mass, a base of the device for grains treatment with ozone (3), a transport and discharge device (4), and an air cooling filter (5) that can be used individually or jointly to apply ozone on the grains mass.

A grill is provided with a removable storage basket assembly for providing a conveniently accessible receptacle or storage platform for articles such as seasonings, cooking tools, towels, or other articles. The storage basket assembly includes a frame having a basket or tray that can be mounted thereto, and a handle. The handle is configured to be received within a recess formed in a shelf of the grill for removably but stably mounting the storage basket assembly on the grill.

A coffee machine comprises a frothing device, wherein an internal milk channel leading to a frothing chamber is provided into which opens a bypass air inlet for operable air supply to the frothing device. A flexible milk suction line connects the frothing device with a milk supply container. Means are provided for cleaning the frothing device and the milk suction line with rinsing water from a continuous-flow water heater of the coffee machine. A controlled valve arrangement is provided which feeds rinsing water from the continuous-flow water heater to the bypass air inlet of the frothing device. A milk suction end of the milk suction line is directly or indirectly, fluid-conductively connectable with a residual water pan of the coffee machine prior to feeding rinsing water to the bypass air inlet.

The invention proposes a device for decaffeinating a liquid. The device includes at least one cathode electrode and at least one anode electrode which are spaced apart and which are immersed in the liquid; a power supply coupled to the at least one cathode electrode and the at least one anode electrode and configured to apply power thereto, wherein the at least one cathode electrode and the at least one anode electrode are configured to generate an electric field in the liquid upon application of the power to attract caffeine molecules in the liquid to the at least one cathode electrode; wherein the at least one cathode electrode is made of or coated with an absorbing material configured to absorb at least part of the caffeine molecules that are attracted to the at least one cathode electrode.

A system and method for displaying the actual position of one or more food items on a conveyorized oven system on a display monitor. Digital images of each food item are captured, stored and processed into positional imaging data using data transmitted from sensors adjacent to the conveyorized oven system. Characteristic data for each food item may be associated with the positional imaging data. The characteristic and positional imaging data of the food items may be stored or communicated to a display monitor for the user to view.

The invention provides a new method for preparing ultra-small polymeric-lipidic delivery nanoparticles (USDNs) that were synthesized by a nanoprecipitation method followed by a layer-by-layer nanodeposition. The USDNs particle size can be controlled between 5-25 mn and provides loading capacities of 22.12% to 72.08%. Moreover, the USDNs platform provides pH controlled drug release, within a terminal release ratio of 68% at pH 5.0 and almost no release to pH of 7.5. Furthermore, based on their small sizes (5-25 nm) and unique composition, the USDNs penetrates the skin strata efficiently, release the payload at the target site as topical or transdermal treatment of a variety of skin disorders. Additionally the USDNs system can be used to treat and diagnoses other crucial diseases (Cancer, Alzheimer, etc) can be combined with various micro-needles or needles free array technologies for special application.

The present invention includes a novel method capable of identifying a compound as an imaging agent using a DAZAX-based scaffold or derivative thereof. The present invention further includes novel imaging agents. The present invention further includes a method of modifying a DAZAX-based scaffold or derivative thereof. The present invention further includes a method for imaging a sample.

The present invention provides substituted bicyclic pyrazolone compounds, which are used to inhibit or modulate the activity of receptor tyrosine kinases, especially Axl, Mer, c-Met and Ron. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compound disclosed herein, and a method of preventing, treating or lessening the severity of a proliferative disorder in a patient with the compounds or the pharmaceutical compositions disclosed herein.