Abstract: In order to understand the current status accurately and forecast the research progress and development trend of e-cigarettes, patents related to e-cigarettes published by State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) from 1985 to 2017 were searched and statistically analyzed. The results showed that:1) From 1985 to 2017, there were a total of 8 083 patents related to e-cigarettes in China, of which 1 789 were inventions, 3 258 were utility models and 3 036 were appearance designs. 2) From 1985 to 2010, the number of patents related to e-cigarettes was small in each year, it increased significantly since 2011, especially from 2012 to 2015. 3) The other domestic enterprises represented by southern e-cigarette manufacturers and individual applicants such as Liu Qiuming were the main forces in the technical field of e-cigarettes. Shenzhen First Union Technology Limited Corporation had the most patents of all kinds, and Kimree Technology Limited Corporation had the largest number of inventions among the applicants. 4) At present, the technology of electric heating of atomized e-cigarettes with electric resistance was more mature. The other atomization principles such as electromagnetic induction heating atomization, ultrasonic atomization, laser heating atomization had also made some progress, but it was still at the early stages of development and would have a huge room for development in the future.