Device and method for filleting and pin-bone removal

A method for processing gutted fish including mechanically filleting and removing pin-bones (19) from the fish, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) mounting the gutted fish (2) onto a saddle (4) for attaching and supporting said gutted fish on a first conveying means (3),
• b) conveying the gutted fish (2) in conveying direction,
• c) obtaining first image data and position data of each fish (2) on the first conveying means (3) using a first imaging means (5),
• d) processing the first image data using computing means (6),
• e) conveying the gutted fish (2) to a first cutting unit (7) for making cuts in the abdominal flaps along the pin-bones (19) as the fish is being advanced on the first conveying means (3) further comprising a set of water-jet devices 8),
• f) conveying the gutted fish (2) to a second cutting unit (9) for making dorsal and ventral cuts into the fish as the fish (2) is being advanced on the first conveying means (3) further comprising two pairs of cutting knifes (10/11),
• g) conveying the gutted fish (2) to a third cutting unit (20) for detaching the fillets (23) from the backbone of the fish by making cuts along the dorsal fins of the fish using a separating cutting tool (24),
• h) receiving fillets (23) after separation from the backbone in the third cutting unit (20) on a second conveying means (13), and
• i) obtaining second image data of the fillets (23) using a second imaging means (25),
• characterized in determining the position of the fish on the first conveying means (3) and the position of the pin-bones (19) in each fillet (23) of each fish (2) by the computing means (6) based on the first image data and determining a cutting pattern for the set of water-jet devices (8) to make cuts in the abdominal flaps along the pin-bones (19), and
• in that performing cuts along the pin-bones (19) using the first cutting unit prior to separating the fillets (23) from the backbone using the second cutting unit 9.

A system for processing gutted fish including mechanically filleting and for removing pin-bones (19) from the fish, the system comprising:

• a first conveying means (3) for attaching and supporting said gutted fish (2) and conveying the gutted fish (2) in conveying direction,
• first imaging means (5) for obtaining first image data and position data of each fish on the first conveying means (3),
• computing means (6) for performing image analysis of the image data,
• a first cutting unit (7) comprising a set of water-jet devices (8) for making cuts in the abdominal flaps along the pin-bones (19) as the fish is being advanced on the first conveying means (3),
• a second cutting unit (9) comprising two pairs of cutting knifes (10/11) for making dorsal and ventral cuts into the fish as the fish is being advanced on the first conveying means (3),
• a third cutting unit (20) comprising a separating cutting tool for detaching the fillets (23) from the backbone of the fish by making cuts along the dorsal fins of the fish (2),
• second conveying means (13) for receiving fillets (23) after separation from the backbone in the third cutting unit (20),
• second imaging means (25) for obtaining second image data of the fillets (23),
• characterized in that the computing means (6) determine the position of the fish (2) on the first conveying means (3) and the position of the pin-bones (19) in each fillet (23) of each fish (2) based on the first image data and determine a cutting pattern for the set of water-jet devices (8) to make cuts in the abdominal flaps along the pin-bones (19), and
• in that the first cutting unit (7) is positioned in front of the second cutting unit (9) in order to perform cuts along the pin-bones (19) before the second cutting unit (9) starts separating the fillets (23) from the backbone.