Methods and features for coupling ultrasonic surgical instrument components together

A method of operatively attaching an ultrasonic waveguide onto a transducer assembly of a surgical kit, the surgical kit including (a) an ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:

• (i) the transducer assembly, wherein the transducer assembly is operable to convert electrical power into ultrasonic vibrations, wherein the transducer assembly comprises a first coupling feature, (ii) the ultrasonic waveguide comprising a complementary coupling feature, wherein the ultrasonic waveguide is configured to selectively couple with the transducer assembly, wherein the ultrasonic waveguide terminates at a distal end, and (iii) an ultrasonic blade located at the distal end of the ultrasonic waveguide;
• (b) a shroud comprising an interior bore extending axially through the shroud;
• (c) a torque wrench, wherein the torque wrench is operable to drive rotation of the ultrasonic waveguide to thereby couple the ultrasonic waveguide with the transducer assembly, wherein the torque wrench comprises:
• (i) a torque limiting feature, wherein the torque limiting feature is operable to restrict an amount of torque by which the ultrasonic waveguide may be coupled with the transducer assembly, and (ii) a cap engagement feature including a base and a latch;
• and (d) a cap removably disposed on the ultrasonic blade, wherein the cap is configured to transmit torque to the ultrasonic waveguide via the ultrasonic blade while the cap is disposed on the ultrasonic blade, wherein the cap engagement feature is operable to engage the cap and thereby remove the cap from the ultrasonic blade, wherein the cap engagement feature of the torque wrench defines a pocket dimensioned to at least partially house the cap, wherein the base includes a rigid base member defining at least a portion of the pocket, wherein the latch is configured to rotatably and longitudinally couple the cap to the base, the method comprising:
• (a) coupling the shroud to the transducer assembly;
• (b) inserting the ultrasonic waveguide through the interior bore;
• (c) rotating the ultrasonic waveguide relative to the transducer assembly in order to initially couple a proximal end of the ultrasonic waveguide with a distal end of the transducer assembly;
• (d) grasping the cap that is disposed on the ultrasonic blade and further rotating the ultrasonic waveguide relative to the transducer assembly via the cap to a first torque value;
• (e) inserting the torque wrench over the cap and the ultrasonic waveguide;
• (f) rotating the torque wrench to thereby further rotate the ultrasonic waveguide relative to the transducer assembly via the torque wrench and the cap to a desired torqued value;
• and
• (g) removing the torque wrench from the ultrasonic waveguide such that the torque wrench removes the cap from the ultrasonic blade,
• wherein the act of coupling the shroud to the transducer assembly is accomplished by threadedly coupling the shroud to the transducer assembly.