Abstract:
A fillet board for filleting fish having spines or horns on their pectoral fins extending outwardly from the sides of the fish body. The board defines apertures each sized to receive the horn of a fish laid flat on one side with the horn secured by the board. A plurality of apertures are sized and spaced along a portion of the length of the board to accommodate fish of different sizes. The fillet board has a spacer element to elevate the board above a supporting surface to provide clearance for fish horns to extend below the board. The fillet board includes a tail clamp for securing the tail of a fish.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to a fillet board for fish. 
   2. Related Art 
   Virtually all fish, after being caught, require some method of making the edible flesh available to eat. One of the most desirable ways to provide fish meat is as a fillet in which the larger longitudinal, or side, portions of the fish meat are excised from the body, providing fish meat that is free of bones and skin. While filleting a fish is one of the most desirable ways to prepare fish, not all fish are as easily filleted as others. For example, bullhead and catfish possess spines on their pectoral and dorsal fins, commonly referred to as horns. Bullhead and catfish horns are extremely stiff and sharp and in some species of catfish are venomous. The presence of horns requires careful handling of the bullhead and particularly catfish and makes filleting such fish quite difficult, as the size and stiffness of the horns make it difficult to lay the fish flat on its side to fillet the fish. 
   There are a variety of fillet boards available that attempt to make filleting fish easier; however, Such fillet boards are not easily usable with fish having horns. One such fillet board is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,279 to Perry. Perry discloses a folding fillet board, which is essentially a portable platform having a central clamp for the fish&#39;s tail and a movable hook to aid in hands-free removal of the carcass. Another fillet board devised to aid in fish filleting is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,164, to Fick, which describes a fillet board with a serrated oval opening so that the fish&#39;s gill flap or operculum fits within the opening, holding the fish to the fillet board and providing a flat surface for filleting the fish. U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,586 to Hoppert et al. discloses a catfish cleaning board. Hoppert et al. avoid the problem of fish horns by securing the fish on its belly for cleaning, a position that makes filleting a fish very difficult. 
   SUMMARY OF DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS 
   While these known fillet boards aid in filleting of fish, neither is suggestive of or teaches the use of a device for accommodating the filleting of a fish having horns. 
   This invention provides a fillet board that accommodates the horns of a fish. 
   This invention separately provides a fillet board usable with fish having horns that has apertures running along at least a portion of the fillet board through which the fish&#39;s horns can extend. 
   This invention separately provides a fillet board supported on legs providing space beneath the board to accommodate fish horns extending through the at least one aperture. 
   This invention separately provides a fillet board that secures the tail of the fish to the fillet board 
   This invention separately provides a fillet board having a fastening structure that secures the tail of the fish to the fillet board. 
   The invention separately provides a fillet board that secures the body of the fish to the fillet board. 
   The invention separately provides a fillet board having a fastening structure that secures the body to the fillet board. 
   The invention separately provides a fillet board having a repositionable strap that secures the body of the fish to the fillet board. 
   The invention separately provides a fillet board having a first fastening structure and a second fastening structure that secure the tail and body of the fish to the board. 
   This invention separately provides a fillet board having a clamp that secures the tail of a fish and a repositionable strap that secures body of the fish to the fillet board. 
   This invention separately provides an extendable fillet board. 
   This invention separately provides an extendable fillet board usable with fish having pectoral-fin spines or horns. 
   This invention separately provides an extendable fillet board that has apertures at least along a portion of its length. 
   This invention separately provides an extendable fillet board that provides a fastening structure that secures the tail of the fish to the fillet board and/or a fastening structure that secures the body of the fish to the fillet board. 
   In various exemplary embodiments, a fillet board according to this invention has a series of holes, extending at least partially along the fillet board, that are of sufficient size to receive the fish horn. In various exemplary embodiments, the holes are located along a centerline of the fillet board. In use, the horn of a catfish, a bullhead or other fish having horns extends through the apertures, allowing the fish to lie flat on the fillet board such that the horn of the opposite pectoral fin projects upward providing a grip for use by the fisherman in filleting the exposed, first side of the fish. After the first side of the fish is filleted, the fish is turned over and the fish horn of the filleted side is inserted through the aperture to allow the second side to be filleted. 
   In various exemplary embodiments, the fillet board has a clamp located at one end of the fillet board. The clamp can be used to secure the tail of the fish to the fillet board. In various other exemplary embodiments, the fillet board has a strap that can extend around the fillet board. The strap can be used to secure the fish&#39;s body, or any other desired portion of the fish, to the fillet board. In various exemplary embodiments, the strap can be moved along the fillet board. 
   In various exemplary embodiments, the fillet board is extendable and has a primary portion and an extension portion, such that the extendable fillet board can be used to support a fish that is larger than the primary portion of the fillet board. When used for a fish having, horns, the extendable fillet board is opened at the hinges to provide an extended fish Support surface. The spine or horn of the pectoral fin is passed through one of the apertures appropriate to the size of the fish Such that the tail is positioned to be secured by the clamp at about the back of the primary portion of the fillet board. When this exemplary embodiment is used for a fish that does not have horns, the tail of the fish is secured at about the back end of the primary portion of the fillet board by a clamp, and a strap extending from a repositionable clip on the extendable portion secures the body of the fish. In various exemplary embodiments, the strap is designed to fit around the fillet board and a fish lying on top of the fillet board. In various exemplary embodiments, the extension portion is connected to the primary portion by one or more hinges attaching the bottom front of the primary portion to the bottom back of the extension portion. In this exemplary embodiment, the extendable fillet board is more compact for storage with the board portions folded at the hinges. In this exemplary embodiment, when the extendable fillet board is folded at the hinges, the apertures in the primary and extension portion are in register such that the folded extendable fillet board can accommodate smaller fish without opening the board to its extended length. 
   These and other features and advantages of various exemplary embodiments of systems and methods according to this invention are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods according to this invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Various exemplary embodiments of the structures according to this invention will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of a fillet board according to this invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an end view of one exemplary embodiment of the fillet board of  FIG. 1  or  FIG. 4  illustrating a fish horn engaged in a centerline aperture used to secure the fish to the fillet board. 
       FIG. 3  is an end view of one exemplary embodiment of the fillet board of  FIG. 1  or  FIG. 4  illustrating a strap used to secure the fish to the fillet board. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of an extendable fillet board according to this invention having an extension portion. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
   While there is no shortage of different types of fillet boards, none has been specifically structured for use with fish such as catfish and bullhead having pectoral-fin spines or horns. The following detailed description describes exemplary embodiments for a fillet board useful in securing and filleting fish such as catfish and bullhead having horns. However, it is noted that the fillet board described herein also provides a strap that may secure a fish to the fillet board whereby the fillet board is equally advantageously useful to secure and fillet fish that do not have spines on their pectoral fins. 
     FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of a fillet board  2 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the fillet board  2  is roughly rectangular in shape, having a top surface  4  and a bottom surface  6  (not shown). In various exemplary embodiments, the fillet board  2  can have a length of approximately 30 inches, a width of about 11 inches and a thickness of about 0.75 inches. However, it should be appreciated that the board can be any dimension that is sufficient for the size of the fish to be filleted. For example, for fish which are only about two to four pounds in size a smaller board would be sufficient, as compared to a larger fillet board for use with fish that are twenty or more pounds in size. In a various exemplary embodiments, the fillet board is made of wood. However, the fillet board can be made of any suitable planar material, such as plastic, fiberglass, resin, metal or the like. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the fillet board has a front end  8 , a back end  10 , a right side  12 , a left side  14 , with a front edge  16 , a right side edge  18 , a left side edge  20  and a back edge  22 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , in some exemplary embodiments, the fillet board  2  can be tapered at the front end  8  and/or the back end  10 . 
   In various exemplary embodiments, the fillet board  2  has a row of apertures  24 , passing completely through the fillet board  2  and running at least along a portion of the length of the fillet board for receiving the horns of the fish to be filleted. The apertures are spaced about 1 inch on center, and are located along a centerline of the fillet board  2 . In some exemplary embodiments, the centerline apertures are graduated in size, with larger apertures toward the front end  8  of the fillet board  2  and smaller size apertures toward the back end  10  of the fillet board  2 . It should be appreciated that, in some exemplary embodiments, the apertures  24  may not be directly on the centerline but may be offset. The apertures  24  receive the horns of the fish and allow the fish to lay flat on the top surface  4  and also effectively secure the head-end of the fish to the front end  8  of the top surface  4  during the filleting process. In addition, as smaller fish, such as bullhead, tend to have smaller horns, while bigger fish, such as catfish, tend to have bigger horns, the apertures  24  closer to the back end  10  may be smaller in diameter than those closer to the front end  8 . In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the first seven apertures  24  closest to the back end  10  of the fillet board are approximately ¼ inch in diameter, while the rest of the apertures  24  are approximately ⅜ inch in diameter. 
   The exemplary embodiment of the fillet board  2  shown in  FIG. 1  also has spacing elements comprising four legs  26  about three inches in length for supporting the fillet board  2  above an underlying surface, thereby providing space beneath the board to accommodate the stiff horns of a catfish which can project through the apertures and allowing the fish to lie flat on the surface  4 . The legs  26  are attached to the bottom surface  6  of the fillet board  2  approximately at each corner. It should be appreciated that any spacing elements can be used such as runners, flanges or the like, so long as they support the member above the underlying support surface so as to provide room for the fish horns to project through the apertures  24 . However, it should be appreciated that when legs are used, the legs  26  can be attached at any useful location on the fillet board  2 . 
   The exemplary embodiment of the fillet board  2  shown in  FIG. 1  also has a first fastening structure  28  usable to secure the tail of the fish and a second fastening structure  30  usable to secure the body of the fish. In the exemplary embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the first fastening structure  28  is a spring, clamp. When the fillet board  2  is used to fillet a fish having horns, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the fish is placed on the fillet board  2  at a place appropriate for the size of the fish such that when the fish horn is inserted in an appropriate aperture the tail can be securely fastened in the spring clamp  28 . In this exemplary embodiment, the engaged horn acts to secure the body of the fish on the fillet board  2 . When the fillet board  2  is used to fillet fish not having horns, such as walleye, bass or pike, the tail is first secured by the spring clamp  28  and the body may be advantageously secured under or about the gills with the body strap  30 . 
   In various exemplary embodiments, the body strap  30 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , is attached to the fillet board  2  by a clip  32 , which is designed and configured to fit over the edge  18  or  20  of the fillet board  2 . In various exemplary embodiments, the clip  32  is also designed and configured to be movable or repositionable along the edge  18  or  20  as needed. In addition, while in the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the tail fastening structure is a spring clamp, it should be appreciated that the tail fastening structure can be any convenient device or structure usable to secure the fish to the fillet board, such as a hinged-clip having spikes or studs, a studded strap or the like. 
     FIG. 1  shows one exemplary embodiment of the body strap  30  used to secure the body of a fish that does not have horns to the fillet board  2 . In this embodiment, the strap  30  is connected, at one end to a clip that fits over the edge  18  or  20  of the board. In various exemplary embodiments, the clip  32  is attached to the body strap  30  by passing the clip  32  through a sleeve or eye-hole  34  in the body strap  30 . In other embodiments, the body strap  30  is attached to the clip  32  by a rivet, a screw, adhesive(s) or any other appropriate attaching or fastening device(s) or material(s). In various exemplary embodiments, the side of the body strap  30  facing toward the fillet board  2  has the hook component  38  of a hook-and-loop fastening pair. When this exemplary embodiment of the body strap  30  is used the edge of the board  18  or  20  or other appropriate surface of the board  2  has attached to it the complementary loop component  40  of the hook and loop fastening pair. In use, the clip  32  is moved along the side of the fillet board  2  to approximately the level of the gills. The strap is then passed under the fillet board  2  and around the fish, preferably under or over the gill covering or operculum of the fish, such that the hook component  38  on the strap  30  contacts the loop component  40  on the fillet board, thereby securing the fish to the fillet board  2 . 
     FIG. 2  illustrates one exemplary embodiment of the fillet board  2  used with a fish having horns when the body strap  30  is not in use. As shown, a spine of the pectoral fin of the fish is placed through at least one aperture  24  of the fillet board to secure the fish on the board, and the tail of the fish is secured by the tail clamp  28 . In use, the fish can then be filleted as described above. A principal advantage of this fillet board  2  is that, as a fillet knife is drawn through the fish body from a location directly behind the upwardly expanded pectoral fin toward the tail end of the fish, the spine or horn of the fish which is engaged within a board aperture  24  resists rearward movement of the fish, thus facilitating an efficient cutting action of the fillet knife. After the first, exposed side of the fish is filleted, the fish is disengaged from the fillet board and turned over so that the fish horn on the filleted side is inserted through the aperture and the second side of the fish is filleted. By securing the fish in this manner the horn of the pectoral fin that is exposed projects upward providing a grip to that can be held by the person filleting the fish. 
     FIG. 3  illustrates a separate exemplary embodiment of the body strap  30  when the fillet board  2  is in use. In operation, a fish not having horns is placed on the top surface  4  of the fillet board  2  so that the tail of the fish can be firmly secured by the spring clamp. In the exemplary embodiment of the clip  32  shown in  FIG. 3 , the clip  32  is dimensioned and configured to fit snugly over the side of the side edge  18  or  20  of the fillet board  2 . In this exemplary embodiment, the outer face of the clip  42  has the loop component  40  of the hook and loop fastening pair while the inner surface of the strap  30  has the hook component  38  of the hook and loop fastening pair. When this exemplary embodiment of the strap  30  is used, the clip is moved along the side of the fillet board  2  so as to be approximately level with the gills of the fish and the strap  30  is passed under the fillet board  2  and around the fish such that the strap passes either over or under the operculum of the fish. In this position, the strap is pulled taut and the hook component of the hook and loop fastening pair on the strap  30  contacts with the loop component  40  of the hook and loop fastening pair on the outer surface of the clip  32 , securing the body of the fish to the board. Particularly when the strap  30  is passed beneath the operculum, the fish is effectively restrained by the strap  30  against rearward movement in response to rearward movement of the fillet knife, thereby facilitating an efficient cutting action in the same manner as the aperture engagement of a catfish horn. 
   In various exemplary embodiments, the outer edge  42  of the clip  32  has the corresponding loop component  40  of the hook and loop fastening pair, which has been attached to the outer edge  42  by adhesive or other appropriate fastening device and/or structures. Once the strap  30  is passed under the fillet board  2  and over the fish, the body strap  30  is pulled tight and the hook component  38  is secured to the loop component  40  of the hook-and-loop pair attached to the clip  32 . Once the strap  30  is firmly secured to the clip  32 , the fish can be easily filleted on the fillet board  2 . 
   It should be appreciated that the structure for securing the body strap  30  may be an adjustable buckle, such that one end of the strap has a male component of the buckle and the other end has the female component of the buckle. In addition, while the exemplary embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 3  shows the loop component  40  of the hook and loop connector on the fillet board  2  or on the clip  32 , it is equally feasible to have the loop component  40  on the opposite side of the strap  30  from the hook component  38 . Similarly, while in one exemplary embodiment, the strap  30  is passed under the fillet board  2  and around the fish, it should be appreciated that the strap  30  can be passed over the fish and then Linder the fillet board  2 , or the strap  30  can even be clipped to one side of the board with the strap extending over the fish to be fastened by hook and loop components to the other side of the board. 
     FIG. 4  illustrates a second exemplary embodiment of the fillet board  100  according to this invention that includes a primary portion  102  and an extension portion  202 . In this extendable fillet board  100 , the primary portion  102  is constructed essentially as described above, with a top surface  104 , a bottom surface  106 , a front end  108 , a back end  110 , a right side  112 , a left side  114 , a front edge  116 , a right side edge  118 , a left side edge  120 , and a back edge  122 . In addition, a row of apertures extend at least a portion of the length of the primary portion  124 . Various exemplary embodiments of the fillet board  100  include one or more legs  126  at about the back corners of the primary portion  102  and a tail clamp  128  at about the back end  110  of the primary portion  102  of the extendable fillet board  100 . 
   The extension portion  202  has a top surface  204 , a bottom surface  206 , a front end  208 , a back end  210 , a right side  212  and a left side  214 , as well as a front edge  216 , a right edge  218 , a left edge  220 , a back edge  222 , a number of centerline apertures  224  and one or more legs  226  that are located on the front end  208  of the extension portion  202 . A piano hinge  230  is secured on the bottom surface  206  of the back end  210  of the extension portion  202  and the bottom surface  106  of the front end  108  of the primary  102  portion. A number of holes  228  are located at about the front  208  sides  212  and  214  of the extension portion  202 , and are dimensioned and configured and are in register with the legs  126  on the primary portion Such that, when the extendable fillet board  100  is closed at the hinges  230 , the legs  126  pass through the holes  228  of the extension portion  202 , allowing the bottom surface  106  of the primary portion  102  to lie flat against the bottom surface  206  of the extension portion  202 . In addition, while a piano hinge  230  is used in the exemplary version of the fillet board  100  shown in  FIG. 4 , it should be appreciated that any other hinges can be used, such as, for example, strap hinges, leather hinges, canvas hinges or the like. 
   In use, should the user so desire, the folded extendable fillet board  100  is opened at the hinges  230  and at least one of the pectoral-fin spines or horns of the fish are passed through at least one of the apertures  124  of the primary portion  102  or one of the apertures  224  of the extension portion  202 , allowing the fish to lie flat on the top surfaces  204  and  104  of the extendable fillet board  100  and the tail of the fish is secured by the tail clamp  128 . Alternatively, when the fillet board  100  is used for a fish that does not have horns, the tail of the fish is secured by the tail clamp  128  and the body of the fish is secured by the strap  32 , as described with respect to the exemplary embodiments of the fillet board  2  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3   
   In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the fillet board  100  has the apertures  224  and  124  on both the extension portion  202  and the primary portion  102 , respectively. It should be appreciated that, in some exemplary embodiments, the apertures  224  on the extension portion  202  overlap the apertures  124  on the primary portion  102  such that, when folded, the apertures of the primary portion and the extension portion are co-extensive with each other. This can allow a fish horn to pass through both apertures  124  and  224  when the extension portion  202  is folded under the primary portion  102 . In these exemplary embodiments, front legs (not shown) are also found at the front  108  bottom surface  106  of the primary portion  102  and oblong slots (not shown) through the sides  212  and  214  of the back end  210  of the extension portion are in register with the front legs (not shown), such that when the extendable fillet board  100  is folded at the hinges  230 , the primary portion  102  is supported by legs off the underlying support surface to provide space for the fish horns projecting through the apertures  124 . However, in some exemplary versions of the fillet board according to this invention there may be apertures  224  only in the extension portion  202  of the fillet board  100 . 
   While a spring clamp  28  is used to secure one end of the fish to the fillet board in the exemplary embodiments described above, other structures or techniques can be used to secure one end of the fish in place of, or in addition to, the spring clamp  28 . Such structures may include a hinged-bar bearing spikes or a screw press, for example. Similarly, while a clip bearing the body strap is described above, other structures and techniques can be used to secure the strap to the fillet board, including, but not limited to, a clamp having a thumbscrew, a U-clip which rides along the side of the fillet board  18  or  20  on a fixed bracket attached to the edge of the fillet board and the like. Thus, the exemplary embodiments described above do not preclude use of any other structures or devices to secure a fish to the fillet board. 
   The above-outlined exemplary embodiments of the fillet board according to this invention are usable to secure either a fish having horns or a fish that does not have horns to the surface of the fillet board for filleting such a fish. Thus, each of the various structures and methods described herein are separately useful. Therefore, it should be appreciated that fillet boards according to this invention do not need to use all or even a plurality of the various structures disclosed herein. 
   While this invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiment outlined above, various alternatives, modifications, variations, improvements, and/or substantial equivalents, whether known or that are or may be presently unforeseen, may become apparent to those having at least an ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting, various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is intended to embrace all known or earlier developed alternatives, modifications variations, improvements and/or substantial equivalents.