Ice maker air delivery assembly

In a refrigerator including a freezer compartment having an outer wall spaced apart from an inner wall so as to define an air flow plenum therebetween, with openings formed in the inner wall to allow air to flow from the plenum to the freezer compartment, an ice maker assembly comprising:

• an ice mold for containing water to be frozen into ice cubes;
• an air delivery unit including an air tunnel having a first end and a second end, said first end being positioned adjacent to the ice mold and said second end being positioned adjacent to the inner wall of the freezer compartment, wherein air is directed from between the inner wall and the outer wall, into the openings in the inner wall, through the air tunnel and against the ice mold;
• and
• an air deflector, located adjacent the second end of the air tunnel and arranged between the inner and outer walls of the freezer compartment, for directing the air into the air tunnel.

In a refrigerator including a freezer compartment having an outer wall spaced apart from an inner wall so as to define an air flow plenum therebetween, with openings formed in the inner wall to allow air to flow from the plenum to the freezer compartment, an ice maker assembly comprising:

• an ice mold for containing water to be frozen into ice cubes;
• an air delivery unit including an air tunnel having a first end and a second end, said first end being positioned adjacent to the ice mold and said second end being positioned adjacent to the inner wall of the freezer compartment, wherein air is directed from between the inner wall and the outer wall, into the openings in the inner wall, through the air tunnel and against the ice mold;
• and
• a plurality of tabs provided on the air delivery unit, said air tunnel being attached to the inner wall through the plurality of tabs.

A method of making ice in a freezer compartment having an inner wall spaced apart from an outer wall, comprising the steps of:

• adding water to an ice mold;
• directing cool air from between the inner wall and outer wall through openings formed in the inner wall, into an air tunnel having a first end adjacent to the inner wall of the freezer compartment and the second end adjacent to the ice mold, and onto the ice mold;
• and
• concentrating the cool air on the ice mold due to narrowing of the air tunnel from the first end to the second end.

A method of making ice in a freezer compartment having an inner wall spaced apart from an outer wall, comprising the steps of:

• adding water to an ice mold;
• directing cool air from between the inner wall and outer wall through openings formed in the inner wall, into an air tunnel having a first end adjacent to the inner wall of the freezer compartment and the second end adjacent to the ice mold, and onto the ice mold;
• and
• increasing air flow through the air tunnel by positioning an air deflector between the inner and outer walls to direct air into the air tunnel.