Ice making appliance

A refrigerator appliance comprising:

• an air cooling system having a heat exchanger operable to cool air and a duct system operable to transport the cooled air;
• and
• an ice maker operable to receive the cooled air from the duct system to form chewable ice, the ice maker having
• a cylinder defining a cavity,
• an extruder die secured to the cylinder and operable to form the chewable ice,
• a scraper disposed within the cavity and operable to scrape an ice accumulation formed on an interior wall of the cylinder and direct the ice accumulation to the extruder die to form the chewable ice, and
• an insulator disposed around the cylinder, wherein the insulator and the cylinder collectively define an air flow path therebetween that extends radially around the cylinder, wherein the insulator further defines an inlet to the air flow path extending inward toward the cylinder, and an outlet from the air flow path extending outward from the cylinder.

A chewable nugget ice maker for a refrigerator appliance comprising:

• a cylinder defining an ice making cavity;
• a scraper positioned in the ice making cavity and operable to scrape an ice accumulation formed within the cylinder and direct the ice accumulation to an extruder die to form the chewable nugget ice;
• and
• a housing disposed radially around an outer surface of the cylinder such that an air flow path is defined between the housing and cylinder, radially outward from the cylinder, and radially inward from the housing, wherein the air flow path is arranged to receive cooled air from a supply and direct the cooled air radially around the cylinder.