Patent ID: 7963499

Claim:
A formliner for use in creating a decorative pattern on an exposed face of cementitious material, the formliner comprising: a sheet of material; at least one cell formed in the sheet of material; and at least one rib extending along the cell and forming a boundary of the cell, the rib being formed in the sheet of material and defining a raised profile, the rib comprising: a first section defining an exterior surface and an interior surface, the exterior surface of the first section of the rib being configured to face outwardly toward the cementitious material and to define a cross-sectional exterior profile, the first section further defining a recess adjacent to the interior surface thereof, the recess defining a cross-sectional interior profile; a second section defining an exterior surface that defines a cross-sectional exterior profile, the cross-sectional exterior profile of the second section being less than the cross-sectional interior profile of the first section; at least one opening formed in the first section; and a transition zone formed in the rib between the first section in the second section to interconnect the first section with the second section, the transition zone defining a variable cross-sectional exterior profile increasing from the cross-sectional exterior profile of the second section to the cross-sectional exterior profile of the first section; wherein a first formliner can be interconnected with a second formliner by overlaying the first section of the rib of the first formliner onto the second section of the rib of the second formliner such that the second section of the rib of the second formliner is nested within the recess of the first section of the rib of the first formliner, and wherein exterior surfaces of the first sections of the ribs of the first formliner and the second formliner are flush with each other upon nesting of the second section of the second formliner within the first section of the first formliner, and wherein an opening in the first section of the first formliner mates against a transition zone of the second formliner such that visible seams in the decorative pattern are minimized when the first formliner and the second formliner are interconnected in use.