A forming device and method for forming a pack into a finished package, a folding unit for forming sealed packages of pourable food products, and a package

A forming device for feeding along a forming path a pack which has at least one portion to be folded into a finished package, the forming device comprising:

• a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other and configured to interact respectively with a front wall of the pack to be folded and an opposing rear wall of the pack to be folded;
• wherein the first surface comprises:
• an at least partially concave forming section configured to interact with a top portion of the front wall of the pack and prevent an inward deformation of the top portion of the front wall during forming of the pack, wherein the at least partially concave forming section is further configured to allow the top portion of the front wall to expand outwardly into the at least partially concave forming section during forming of the pack without permanently deforming the pack.

A method for forming a pack which has at least one portion to be folded into a finished package, the method comprising:

• forming the pack by allowing a top portion of a front wall of the pack to expand outwardly into an at least partially concave forming section without permanently deforming the pack;
• constraining the pack between a first surface and a second surface of a forming device arranged opposite to each other and configured to interact respectively with the front wall and a rear wall of the pack to be folded, the first surface comprising the at least partially concave forming section;
• folding the at least one portion of the pack to form the finished package.