Hewlet-packard printer problem...HELP!!

We have an HP 692c printer. The wife was cleaning it and some kind of plastic strip came off. Wife says it came from behind the ink cartridge thing that slides back and forth. I have the strip but cannot see where the damn thing connects!. It is a clear plastic strip about the length of the cartridge carrier.

Also have I wrecked the thing by handling it?

Any ideas or clues? Can I fix it myself or junk the thing?

Encoder Strip -