Patent ID: 8896888

Claim:
A platen housing for a printer arranged to transport printed material along a path in a process direction, comprising: first and second ends; a first side rail segment connecting the first and second ends and including: a first top surface; and, a first bottom surface forming a plurality of first steps, each first step with a thickness, with respect to the first top surface, less than any first step immediately preceding said each first step in a direction from the first end toward the second end; and, a second side rail segment including: a second top surface; and, a second bottom surface forming a plurality of second steps, each second step with a thickness, with respect to the second top surface, less than any second step immediately preceding said each second step in a direction from the first end toward the second end, wherein the platen housing is arranged to: engage a sensor assembly for the printer, disposed orthogonally above the path, and including a plurality of light emitting elements; and, receive a piece of transparent material such that the transparent material is between the path and the plurality of light emitting elements such that the platen housing and the transparent material isolate the light emitting elements from the printed material.